Intelligent Reflecting Surface Aided Vehicular Optical Wireless Communication Systems Using Higher-Order Mode in Underwater Channel

Instead of traditional acoustic communication, optical wireless communication (OWC) remains as a prominent solution in terms of ensuring high data rates for underwater sensor network (USN) including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), submarines, and other underwater platforms. This study is devoted to the performance analysis of underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) systems using higher-order mode optical beam source and performance improvement with the application of intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) by using realistic parameters. To make the study as comprehensive as possible, the effects of beam misalignment, attenuation (absorption- and scattering-induced), and underwater turbulence are included. The analytical expressions are obtained for probability density function (PDF), cumulative distribution function (CDF) and outage probability (OP) of UOWC channel. The benefit of IRS application is observed to attain at significant levels for UOWC.