Broadband and Programmable Amplitude-Phase-Joint-Coding Information Metasurface

Abstract

Information metasurfaces have attracted much attention in recent years due to the capability to link the physical world and information science. However, most of the current information metasurfaces are either phase-only coding or amplitude-only coding, limiting their functions and applications. Here, a broadband and programmable amplitude-phase-jointcoding (APJC) information metasurface is proposed and experimentally demonstrated, from which the phase and amplitude of reflected electromagnetic waves can be independently controlled by adjusting the bias voltage of PIN diode integrated in the metaatom. In particular, the reflection amplitude can be continuously controlled from 0.1 to 0.9, and the reflection phase can be switched between two states with about 180°phase difference. Thus, the proposed metasurface is capable of realizing independent 1-bit or multibit amplitude coding and 1-bit phase coding, and both of them can be reprogrammed in real time in broad band from 8 to 13 GHz. The abilities of the programmable APJC information metasurface in manipulating the electromagnetic waves are demonstrated by both numerical simulations and experiments, including to suppress the sidelobes of scattering beam, generate the diffractive waves with arbitrary magnitudes, and so on. These results show unique advantages of APJC information metasurface in real-time independent controls of energy allocation and wavefront tailoring of the electromagnetic waves in a wide frequency band.

Programmable metamaterials

“…Further, a new wireless communication system is designed based on the amplitude programmable metamaterial (Hong et al, 2021). Amplitude coding scheme is also able to join with phase coding to achieve more complicated functionalities (Liao et al, 2022;Wang et al, 2022a). Figure 5b shows a novel amplitude-phase-jointcoding programmable metamaterial using a PIN diode loaded on a single-layer reflection-type metaatom, which can be equivalent to a rheostat (Wang et al, 2022a).…”

“…Amplitude coding scheme is also able to join with phase coding to achieve more complicated functionalities (Liao et al, 2022;Wang et al, 2022a). Figure 5b shows a novel amplitude-phase-jointcoding programmable metamaterial using a PIN diode loaded on a single-layer reflection-type metaatom, which can be equivalent to a rheostat (Wang et al, 2022a). When the bias voltage changes from 0 V to 1 V, the effective resistance changes from 1 Ω to 10,000 Ω, enabling the realisation of 1-bit phase coding with continuous amplitude control in a wide frequency range of 8-13 GHz.…”

A Polarization‐Modulated Information Metasurface for Encryption Wireless Communications

“…The dielectric substrates are F4B (polytetrafluoroethylene) with relative permittivity of 2.2 and loss tangent of 0.001, whose thicknesses are h 1 = 4 mm and h 2 = 0.254 mm, as shown in Figure 2c . According to the knowledge of amplitude‐phase joint coding metasurface reported in our previous work, [ 47 ] the reflection amplitude and phase of the unit element can be independently controlled by adjusting the variable resistor of PIN diodes. Figures 2d and 2e show the simulation results of the reflection amplitude and phase of the unit element with R d x and R d y at 10 GHz, under x ‐ and y ‐polarized incidences, respectively.…”

Multifunctional Reflective Metasurface to Independently and Simultaneously Control Amplitude and Phase with Frequency Tunability

“…[46] On the other hand, programmable metasurfaces that can tune amplitude with 1-bit phase coding have been demonstrated using PIN diodes alone or integrated with graphene. [47][48][49] To our best knowledge, most previously reported devices can only control one or two parameters, which cannot be electrically tuneed continuously, and require different tuning/switching elements or materials. This paper aims to address current limitations in metasurface design and proposes an approach for developing an electrically tunable multifunctional metasurface that can simultaneously and independently control amplitude and phase, with the added capability of frequency tuning, as shown in Figure 1.…”