Effect and Analysis of Short-range Collimated Beam Communication in Seawater Environment

Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) has gained significant attention due to its high data rate, low latency, and enhanced confidentiality, making it a crucial component for various underwater activities, such as marine exploration and environmental monitoring. Despite its advantages, the performance of UWOC is severely affected by the optical properties of seawater, particularly scattering and absorption. This study investigates the effect of short-range collimated beam communication in a seawater environment, focusing on the impacts of scattering and absorption on light propagation. The research employs the Monte Carlo (MC) modeling method to simulate photon trajectories in seawater, considering realistic parameters such as water type (clear, coastal, and turbid waters), link distance (10 m), and transmitter/receiver characteristics (e.g., collimated beam and receiver size). The results show that scattering and absorption significantly degrade the performance of collimated beam communication, especially in highly turbid waters, where the signal attenuation can exceed 20 dB over a 10-meter link. These findings highlight the challenges of implementing UWOC in real-world scenarios and suggest the need for adaptive optical systems that can dynamically adjust to varying water conditions. Future work will explore advanced modulation techniques and error correction algorithms to mitigate these effects and improve the reliability of UWOC systems.