Ultraviolet Communication Technologies and Systems

Ultraviolet communication exploits wavelengths typically between 200 nm and 400 nm to establish secure, high-bandwidth links in both line-of-sight and scattering environments. The deep-UV to solar-blind window (200–280 nm) offers minimal solar background noise, enabling non-line-of-sight (NLOS) transmissions through atmospheric scattering. Advances in light-emitting diodes, laser sources and single-photon detectors have driven data rates from megabits to gigabits per second over distances from a few metres to hundreds of metres. Modulation techniques such as orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing and discrete multitone schemes are adapted to address pulse broadening and path-loss characteristics intrinsic to UV channels. Fundamental trade-offs between transmitter power, receiver field of view, channel geometry and atmospheric conditions shape system design. Applications span secure short-range links in urban canyons, underwater communication and vehicle-to-vehicle data exchange, with ongoing research targeting miniaturisation of UV transceivers and integration with photonic circuits for practical deployment.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated ultraviolet-C free-space optical links achieving multi-hundred megabits per second using high-power LEDs combined with advanced modulation and coding. One work reports the realisation of a compact UVC transmitter employing bespoke phosphor-coated LEDs and probabilistically shaped discrete multitone modulation to approach channel capacity under moderate turbulence, achieving over 500 Mb/s across a 5 m diffuse-line-of-sight link. Another investigation has introduced nanostructured beam-shaping metasurfaces that tailor UV emission patterns, enhancing link stability and spectral efficiency in dynamic alignment scenarios. A third study presents an array of single-photon avalanche diodes optimised for sub-nanosecond timing resolution, improving receiver sensitivity in the solar-blind window and enabling reliable communication at sub-picowatt optical power levels.

Ultraviolet Communication Technologies and Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ultraviolet communication technologies and systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Solar-blind window: Ultraviolet band (200–280 nm) where terrestrial solar irradiance is negligible, reducing background noise.

Diffuse line-of-sight (diffuse-LOS): Communication mode in which transmitter and receiver maintain a general alignment but rely on scattering rather than direct beam propagation.

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS): Transmission relying on scattered photons, allowing communication around obstacles without a direct optical path.

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM): A multicarrier modulation scheme that divides the channel into orthogonal sub-bands to improve spectral efficiency and resilience to dispersion.

Discrete multitone modulation (DMT): A variant of OFDM employing adaptive bit loading across sub-carriers to approach Shannon capacity under varying channel conditions.

Single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD): A semiconductor detector that operates in Geiger mode to register individual photon events with high temporal precision.

Path loss: Reduction in optical power between transmitter and receiver, influenced by absorption, scattering and link geometry.

References

1. 71-Mbit/s ultraviolet-B LED communication link based on 8-QAM-OFDM modulation.. Optics Express (2017).
2. Path loss modeling and performance trade-off study for short-range non-line-of-sight ultraviolet communications.. Optics Express (2009).
3. A single-scatter path loss model for non-line-of-sight ultraviolet channels.. Optics Express (2012).
4. Gbit/s ultraviolet-C diffuse-line-of-sight communication based on probabilistically shaped DMT and diversity reception.. Optics Express (2020).