Effect of turbulence and noise on ultraviolet and mid-infrared spectrum in optical wireless communications

Ultraviolet and mid-infrared (MIR) constitute two extreme ends of the optical wireless communication band. Recently, there has been a rise in increased interest for research in these two spectral bands. For successful deployment of these technologies, the performance of these two spectrum bands needs to be thoroughly analyzed. We consider turbulence and noise effects over these spectral bands. Specifically, this paper considers separate and combined effects of atmospheric turbulence and various noise sources to model the channel impairment. The results show that the system performances are extremely sensitive to the choice of channel model. It is found that the relatively unused MIR spectrum offers excellent characteristics for outdoor optical communications in the presence of atmospheric turbulence.