Performance, Analysis and Evaluation of UWOC Systems using OptiSystem Simulations across Diverse Water Conditions

The significance of underwater wireless communication continues to grow, driven by its diverse applications in both military operations and scientific research. This technology fills crucial gaps, particularly in scenarios where wired connections are impractical, such as submerged vehicles and devices. While acoustic communication dominates the field, its limitations in bandwidth and capacity necessitate the exploration of complementary technologies like underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC). This paper explores the simulation of a UWOC system using Optisystem software to assess its performance across various underwater mediums. The study encompasses three types of seawater: pure seawater, Coastal Ocean, and turbid harbor. Employing intensity modulation via a Mach-Zehnder Modulator and Laser Diode as the light source, the simulation evaluates the system's capabilities over different wavelengths within the visible light spectrum. Results demonstrate significant differences in transmitting distance and power consumption between wavelengths at the onset of the visual spectrum and those with minimal attenuation. Notably, in clear ocean water, a signal traverses over 100 meters (about 328.08 ft) with 1 mW, while leveraging different wavelengths yields a 65% power saving at the same distance. This research underscores the potential of UWOC in enhancing underwater communication efficiency and reliability.