Dual Hop Hybrid FSO/RF based Backhaul Communication System for 5G Networks

Current cellular backhaul networks are mostly built with microwave links and fiber/copper-based links. However, these networks cannot meet the requirements of the next generation (5G) cellular communications such as capacity, latency, reliability, energy efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Radio-frequency (RF) based backhaul communication is a scalable technology but limited in terms of data rate. Free Space Optics (FSO) uses a LASER signal to provide point to point wireless connection. FSO based backhaul supports very high data rates, but it is affected by weather parameters. A novel dual hop (DH) hybrid RF/FSO system for 5G wireless backhaul networks is proposed in this paper. The proposed system performance is investigated under different turbulence conditions. Simulation results show that the proposed DH hybrid FSO/RF system performs better than the standalone FSO or RF systems and hence can be considered as a viable solution to the backhaul requirements of the next generation cellular communications, particularly in the dense deployment of small cells network architecture.