SUMMARY

The use of vortex waves in multiple environments is of increasing interest for numerous applications, including underwater acoustic communications and power ultrasonics. The underwater acoustic communication environment is both complex and challenging. Acoustic orbital angular momentum (OAM) has been demonstrated as an additional degree of freedom that may be used to alleviate this bottleneck, though the development of arrays capable of implementing OAM-based communications systems in underwater acoustic communications channels is largely unexplored. Ray tracing tools are employed to simulate the performance of communications arrays in various complex environments over multiple ranges and explore the array processing implications of these systems. Additionally, acoustic OAM has been shown to impact cavitation-based phenomena. Medical applications have found success in the treatment of tumors and blood clots; however, industrial cleaning applications have not been explored. This study addresses the challenges of developing these OAM-based systems. Prototype systems are developed and demonstrated.