Abstract:
In this thesis, recent advancements in radio over plastic optical fibers are reviewed.
Plastic fibers are used in short-range and high data-rate communication systems.
Plastic optical fibers are considered to be consumer-friendly as they are simpler
to install, easy to maintain, have low bending losses and its associated optical
components are inexpensive. Few of the challenges faced in employing optical
fibers are its high attenuation and multi-modal dispersion, which limits the trans mission range. However, plastic fibers are considered to be a low-cost alternative
to be employed in short-range Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks in compari son to commonly known glass or silica optical fiber. One of the most commonly
employed plastic fiber is poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) plastic optical fiber.
Advancement from 4G to 5G has also paved a way in for plastic fiber, where
they can be employed for simultaneous multi-format transmissions supporting 5G
networks in FTTH networks. This thesis further also discusses the evolution in
multi-format transmission and its challenges, and also applications of plastic fiber
in FTTH networks, where IoTs and sensors networks have paved their way in too.
Also, the application of plastic fiber in distributed antenna systems and systems
employing MIMO are discussed. Furthermore, the thesis discusses the challenges
and future prospects of radio over plastic fibers to guide a way for further research
to be carried out in this domain to improve the quality of transmission and linking
it with other cutting edge technologies such as machine learning and blockchain
