Achromatic ultrasound metalens for enhanced multiplexing underwater communications
Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 014060 – Published 26 January, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/crck-fqcb
Abstract
The high-capacity and long-distance transmission of acoustic signals is vital for wireless underwater communications. However, the presence of sound-dense barriers within the transmission path significantly hinders the interaction of acoustic information and energy across different media. In this study, we design an acoustic metalens aiming at facilitating high-capacity communication through dense barriers with enhanced efficiency, leveraging achromatic ultrasound focusing. The metalens is developed by thoroughly considering and utilizing the multiphysical interactions between the metastructure and the surrounding water medium, which substantially amplifies the vibrations of the barrier, thereby creating an effective channel for acoustic signals to traverse. Additionally, the designed metalens is capable of transmitting multifrequency ultrasonic waves while concurrently focusing sound power at the same position, resulting in high-capacity underwater communication characterized by an improved high signal-to-noise ratio and channel isolation. This advanced transmission enhancement technology presents a novel approach for developing efficient underwater communication devices in complex environments, with potential application in underwater acoustic sensing and detection.
