Using a Hybrid SMF/MMF Cable for Deploying Optically-Powered B5G Multitechnology Optical/Wireless Systems

This paper reports an innovative hybrid optical cable-based Radio-and Power over Fiber (RPoF) system to simultaneously support diverse access networks, i.e., 5G New Radio (NR) in millimeter wave (mmWave), visible light communication (VLC), gigabit passive optical networks (GPON) and WiFi 6. A 200 m hybrid optical cable was idealized and manufactured with 06 conventional multimode fibers (MMFs) and 02 single-mode fibers (SMFs) aiming to simplify the deployment of optically-powered beyond 5G (B5G) multitechnology optical/wireless systems. SMFs are deployed to transport data signals, whereas MMFs are used in the PoF system to power the B5G radio remote unit (RRU) composed of multiple access networks. In total, 40 W optical power is transmitted over 5 MMFs to deliver approximately 14.03 W electrical power, which is used to simultaneously power 05 devices (02 RF amplifiers, a photodetector, a GPON modem and a laser from the VLC system) with margin of more than 7 W. To evaluate the RoF-based B5G network, the root mean square error vector magnitude (EVMRMS) is utilized. The proposed optically-powered multitechnology system is capable of providing up to 1.45 Gbps total throughput, using a 64 QAM modulation scheme within the 3GPP EVMRMSthreshold. Furthermore, a stability analysis of the PoF-delivered electrical power and GPON modem throughput demonstrates strong potential and high reliability for applying the PoF technology to power diverse components of optical/wireless B5G systems.