Superior deep-ultraviolet source pumped by an electron beam for NLOS communication

Yongfeng Kang*, Jingyi Zhao, Jiaxin Wu, Lei Zhang*, Jian Zhao, Yiqi Zhang*, Yuqing Zhao and Xiaofei Wang

Abstract—Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light ranging from 200 to 280 nm, i.e., a solar-blind region, has been widely applied to water purification, sterilization and integrated biosensors. As the light source for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communication, DUV light has the natural advantage of a negligible background due to strong ozone absorption. However, the existing DUV sources suffer from either low power or low modulation frequency. Here, we demonstrate a DUV source pumped by an electron beam at 246 nm with a record-high performance for NLOS communication, i.e., a simultaneous continuous-wave output power of 430 mW and modulation frequency of 5 MHz. Significantly, both the output power and modulation frequency can be further improved when the horsepower of electron beams is fully released. Not only does the proposed DUV source show great capability for NLOS communication and other potential applications, but the electron beam pumping approach can also be extended to various emission processes.