Executive Summary : | Light is a vital resource for all living organisms, and it is predicted to revolutionize the 21st century like electronics did in the 20th century. With advancements in materials discovery, fabrication technologies, and hardware/software tools, the future of all-photon-electron controlled systems and environments is near. Modern smart buildings rely on wireless sensor networks (WSN) for efficiency, portability, and reliability. However, smart communications depend on data availability, and the demand for mobile data is growing at a 60% rate. Emerging technologies like cloud-based services, IoT, online gaming, virtual reality, ultra-high video streaming, and mass-scale online classes require unprecedented data rates. IoT is expected to connect over 500 billion smart devices by 2030. Currently, only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (RF waves) is used for communication, and this bandwidth will not be sufficient for cellular communications by 2035. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum for wireless data access to meet the RF crunch. Optical wireless communication is a viable system with a vast bandwidth, safety, and reliability. To utilize new concepts and technology, smart materials, multifunctional devices, and their reliability/compatibility are crucial. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, and photodiodes are the top candidates for visible light communications (VLC) or light fidelity communications (LiFi). This proposal aims to fabricate flexible perovskite-based photodiodes and solar cells for visible light communications applications. |