Propagation of optical pin beams through water turbulence

Generation of laser beam that can propagate in air or water turbulence without much distortion has always been an attractive research field. In our previous research, we have reported a new class beam called Optical Pin Beams (OPBs) which possess great properties through long distance propagation in atmospheric turbulence. Here, in this article, we experimentally investigate the propagation behavior of OPBs through water turbulence. In the experiment, we efficiently generate an OPB and let it propagate through a water tank. To simulate water turbulence, we continuously inject hot water into the water tank right above the light path. To demonstrate the advantages of OPB, we compare its propagation behavior with a Gaussian beam under the same condition. It is shown that OPB has much less distortion than Gaussian beam. OPBs are expected to have remarkable potential applications in underwater applications, such as submarine laser communication and laser illumination.