InGaN Micro‐LED Array Enabled Advanced Underwater Wireless Optical Communication and Underwater Charging

• Published in: Advanced optical materials 2021-06, Vol.9 (12), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Lin, Runze, Liu, Xiaoyan, Zhou, Gufan, Qian, Zeyuan, Cui, Xugao, Tian, Pengfei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrays; Bandwidths; Charging; Communication; duplex UWOC system; Indium gallium nitrides; Keying; Light emission; Light emitting diodes; Materials science; micro‐LED; Modulation; Optical communication; Optics; photodetectors; Photovoltaic cells; self‐powered devices; Semiconductor lasers; Solar cells; underwater charging | underwater wireless optical communication; Underwater communication; Wireless communications
• ISSN: 2195-1071; 2195-1071
• DOI: 10.1002/adom.202002211

In this paper, the underwater applications of micro‐LED (light‐emitting diode) in light emission, optical detection, and solar cell are demonstrated. Based on a high‐bandwidth and low‐power micro‐LED array, duplex underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) and underwater charging are realized. Using the non‐return‐to‐zero on‐off‐keying modulation scheme, the maximum modulation bandwidth and data rate of a micro‐LED transmitter in the 2.3 m duplex UWOC system are 251.3 MHz and 660 Mbps, respectively. In addition, the micro‐LED‐based photodetector can achieve maximum data rates of 52.5 and 60 Mbps at 0 and −5 V in the same UWOC system, respectively. Furthermore, while achieving the communication function, the micro‐LED is used to realize the collection of external light energy, which is successfully employed to drive a 660 nm laser diode, proving the photovoltaic power generation of micro‐LED. This experiment has made a breakthrough in the duplex UWOC system based on an InGaN micro‐LED array, and verifies significant potential of micro‐LED application in the field of duplex UWOC and underwater charging. In this study, multifunction micro‐LED (light‐emitting diode) array for light emission, optical detection, and photovoltaic power generation is fabricated and high‐speed duplex underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) system is demonstrated. In addition, a new underwater charging method using micro‐LED is first reported. Such a micro‐LED array can be used to realize a miniaturized and high‐performance UWOC system.