Enhanced Photodetector Field of View for IoT-Driven VLC Systems Using Fluorescent Optical Antennas

The rapid advancements in 5G and IoT have significantly increased global mobile network traffic. Consequently, there is growing interest in alternative communication technologies such as Visible Light Communication (VLC). This technology presents several advantages over conventional Radio Frequency (RF) communications, including lower latency, reduced implementation costs, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. However, VLC faces challenges like limited photodetector Field of View (FOV) and line-of-sight requirements. To address these challenges, this paper explores the utilization of a short segment of Fluorescent Plastic Optical Fiber (FPOF) as an optical antenna designed to extend the photodetector’s FOV in VLC systems. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated through experimental measurements and simulation analyses, comparing its performance against conventional VLC configurations. Experimental results showed that a 6 cm red FPOF antenna increased the FOV by over 10° at the mark of 3dB, achieving up to 25° at misaligned angles (above 70°), with around 10 dB gain at orthogonal conditions (90°), underscoring the potential of fluorescent optical antennas in overcoming traditional limitations of VLC systems, allowing new designs for detectors models, thereby enhancing their applicability for IoT-driven communication networks.