A visible light communication (VLC) system recently developed in Saudi Arabia claims to smash bandwidth records, with a data transmission rate of 2 Gbit/s. The findings, by a team from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, was recently published in the journal ACS Photonics. It uses a colour converter based on phosphors combined with nanocrystals of perovskite.
Many consider the use of light waves (VLC) a credible alternative to data transmission via the increasingly congested radio spectrum.
The method works by rapidly flashing lights that are imperceptible to the human eye but able to transmit a binary code. The transmission is potentially faster and more secure than using radio waves.
However, the method has been plagued by limited bandwidths, an issue the KAUST team claim to combat with the design of its colour convertor. In the research published in ACS Photonics a bandwidth 40 times greater than that available through commercial converters was recorded.
Benefits were noted too in the appearance of the light products, which was described as “pleasant” and “natural-looking” and could be used as an indoor light source or optical display.
ACS Photonics Abstract