Unified Performance Analysis of Multi-Hop ORS-Assisted FSO Communication Systems

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive performance analysis of a multi-hop free-space optics (FSO) communication system enhanced by optical reflecting surfaces (ORS) and employing the decode and forward (DF) relaying technique. The proposed system model accounts for key impairments such as atmospheric turbulence, pointing errors, and fog, which pose significant challenges to FSO communication. Atmospheric turbulence is modeled using the recently introduced double inverted Gamma-Gamma (IGGG) turbulence channel model. This study examines its potential to improve channel quality and system performance by leveraging ORS technology for intelligent beam redirection. Further, closed-form expressions for outage probability, average symbol error rate (ASER), ergodic capacity, and outage capacity are derived, considering crucial parameters such as the number of hops and relay positions, while incorporating the combined effects of turbulence, pointing errors, and fog. Numerical results demonstrate a substantial enhancement in performance is achieved with ORS, particularly under severe turbulence conditions, with further improvements observed as the number of hops increases. These findings highlight the potential of ORS to significantly improve the reliability and efficiency of FSO communication, enabling high-capacity optical wireless networks in challenging atmospheric environments. The accuracy of the analytical results is validated through Monte-Carlo simulations, ensuring their practical applicability for the design and optimization of next-generation wireless communication systems. © 2025 IEEE.