High-speed multi-user optical wireless communication between VCSEL-integrated electronic devices

Vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array is increasingly integrated in consumer electronic devices as light sources for biometrics and interaction between terminals. In this study, we proposed a high-speed multi-user optical wireless communication (OWC) method based on a near-infrared VCSEL array, and then experimentally demonstrated a two-user quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system in a typical indoor environment over a 2-m link. The measured 3-dB bandwidth is around 1.02 GHz for both links, then the maximum sum rate reaches up to 2.7 Gbps for two users with bit-error-rate (BER) of 0 and 3.2×10−3 respectively. The designed VCSEL-based QAM–OFDMA OWC system depicts the feasibility of potential scenarios for the interactive information transfer between terminals.