Self‐Powered Optical Communication: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Prospects

Abstract Modern optical communication systems, from fiber‐optic networks to optical wireless communications, are fundamentally constrained by their reliance on external power sources. This perspective highlights explores the transformative potential of self‐powered optical communication (SPOTComm), a paradigm‐shift technology in which optical communication is achieved without relying on external power supplies. SPOTComm opens new avenues for building sustainable and maintenance‐free communication nodes for the Internet of Things (IoT), particularly in power‐constrained or remote environments. In light of this, recent major breakthroughs in this interdisciplinary field and identify key challenges that impeding SPOTComm's wider adoption are reviewed. Specifically, three technical routes that establish SPOTComm link: 1) energy harvester‐driven optical transmission, 2) direct mechanical‐to‐optical conversion, and 3) self‐powered optical modulation are categorized. To enlighten future development, we offer a forward‐looking vision of how materials and device innovations can overcome current limitations, ultimately enabling optical communication systems that are not only high‐performance and secure, but also self‐sustaining, scalable, and pervasive.