Visible Light Communication (VLC) Basics

Visible light communication (VLC) has emerged as a transformative technology that leverages light as a carrier for wireless data transmission. This chapter delves into the fundamentals of VLC, beginning with an insightful exploration of its background and subsequently addressing the advantages and challenges inherent in VLC systems. The discussion extends to diverse application areas where VLC proves to be a promising solution. Notably, the chapter highlights the motivation for integrating VLC into the 6G and beyond communication landscape. The heart of VLC lies in its principles, comprehensively outlined in the second section. Here, the basics of light propagation and the key components of VLC systems are explained, providing a solid foundation for understanding the intricacies of this communication paradigm. Channel modelling in VLC is explored in detail, with a special focus on indoor line-of-sight (LOS) VLC channel model. The fourth section discusses the diverse modulation techniques employed in VLC, ranging from pulse-based methods to optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and VLC-specific modulation techniques. This chapter encapsulates the essence of VLC, offering a comprehensive overview of its principles, channel modelling, and modulation techniques.