Summary:
The growing demand for higher data rates has guided the interest towards new
technologies that would satisfy them. Most promising solutions are the optic
fiber and the free space optics (FSO).
Although the optic fiber is promising due to the stable low-loss guided
propagation path, it is expensive and time wasting. The channel used by FSO
systems is rapidly changing due to the turbulence fading and weather
conditions, especially in the presence of dense fog.
The solution is the use of a Millimeter Wave link, which is immune to fog but
has problems in heavy rain. The fact that these two links present problems in
different atmospheric conditions, results in an increased availability of the
hybrid system. Nevertheless, the performance is hindered by the lower data
rates that MMW achieves.
In this Thesis we consider the parameters affecting the performance of a Hybrid
FSO/MMW system, emphasizing on the MMW link. We consider the absorption of the
MMW by oxygen and rain. We present a statistical representation of fading
channels, focusing on the Nakagami-q and Nakagami-m models. By using the
Weibull model we estimate the average capacity of the MMW link and the overall
capacity of the Hybrid FSO/MMW system.
Keywords:
Free Space Optics, Millimeter Wave, Hybrid System, Oxygen, Rain
