Analysis, implementation and research opportunities of radio over fiber link over the dispersive medium for next generation networks

Wireless connections with high capacity, security, and affordability are becoming increasingly crucial for the growth of interactive multimedia and broadband services. A promising approach to meet this need is the use of radio frequency (RF) and optical fiber technology to distribute millimeter-wave signals. This article provides a summary of current research on the radio over fiber (RoF) technology and future uses for it in next-generation networks. Firstly, we introduce the basics of RoF technology, including its various components and architectures. We provided a comparative analysis between External Modulation Based and Direct Modulation based RoF link. On the basis of simulation analysis, the measured Q-Factor is 303.064 and 5.50 while using External and Direct modulation schemes respectively, for 1 dB/km optical fiber impairments. We also discuss the benefits and challenges of employing RoF technology in wireless access networks, highlighting the key issues that require attention for RoF technology to fully realize its potential. Afterward, we provide an extensive review of recent research on RoF technology. We examine the performance and limitations of used RoF link and identify the key research challenges in the associated field. Finally, we discuss the future directions and opportunities for research in RoF technology, our article aims to provide easy to understand of RoF technology and its impact on the next- generation networks.