Outage Analysis of Hybrid VLC/Multi-IRS-aided RF Communication System

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel hybrid visible light communication (VLC)/intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-aided radio-frequency (RF) communication system tailored for indoor communication scenarios. The system uniquely combines a primary VLC link with an IRS-assisted RF backup link to enhance the reliability and coverage. We analyze the performance of the proposed system by deriving the closed-form expressions for outage probability and outage capacity considering a hard-switching scheme. Specifically, the system maintains transmission over the VLC channel until the instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) falls below the threshold, at which point it seamlessly transition to the multiple IRS-aided RF system. We utilize Nakagami-m fading to characterize the RF link and Lambertian radiation emission pattern to model the VLC link, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the system performance. The derived analytical expressions are validated through extensive Monte-Carlo simulations. The performance comparison confirms the efficiency of the proposed hybrid system, illustrating significant reliability improvements over the traditional VLC system. © 2025 IEEE.