Ultraviolet Communications: Potential and State-Of-The-Art

Motivated by the recent and rapid developments in deep ultraviolet LEDs, solar blind ultraviolet filters, and detectors, this article reviews wireless UV technology used for communications and sensing in either line-of-sight or non-line-of-sight channel conditions. We present the state-of-the-art of associated systems and their components and discuss related issues including communication link characterization, channel modeling, and link capacity study, as well as transceiver design, link duplexing, multiple access, and networking. We also envision applications in the commercial and military sectors.