Intelligent Metasurfaces for Emerging Wireless Communication and Sensing Systems
Abstract
#Approved for Public Release #The primary goal of this project is to pioneer technologies to create intelligent metasurfaces for achieving advanced beam-forming/beam-steering capabilities at radio-frequency (RF)/microwave and millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies. The proposed project is realized through the fusion of electromagnetics, RF electronics, and semiconductor devices. Specifically, novel intelligent metasurfaces enabled by customized RF tuning devices will be explored due to their great promise for emerging wireless communication and sensing systems. It is expected that the developed technologies can be readily applied in naval systems for applications such as distributed mesh communication network with beam-agile RF arrays, electronic warfare, and wireless sensing. If successful, the proposed project will revolutionize current beam-agile RF system design and implementation, leading to next-generation high-performance beam-agile wireless systems for various naval applications.The proposed project brings several unique benefits: 1) capability to manipulate electromagnetic waves/signals at the sub-wavelength scale across a broad frequency band; 2) elimination of complex and power consuming beam-forming feeding networks; 3) fully electrically controlled tunable/reconfigurable responses with remarkably fast tuning speed and low power consumption; and 4) novel integrated tuning element operating at RF/microwave/mmWave frequencies will be developed which can be generally applied to existing RF systems for dynamically tunable/reconfigurable responses. Benefited from these unique features, the proposed program will address key challenges in the area of electromagnetic maneuver, which directly decides Navy#s capabilities to achieve spectrum superiority. It is envisioned that the proposed intelligent metasurface platform can be easily applied and integrated into many other wireless systems featuring different functions and operating across a broadspectrum, which will open up a new avenue for harnessing electromagnetic signals.If successful, the proposed research will represent a major breakthrough in the field of high-frequency electronics, leading to new paradigms for high frequency devices and systems (e,g. operating at RF/microwave/mmWave frequencies) and beam-agile RF systems. A few key program outcomes are listed as the following. It will realize new intelligent metasurfaces for manipulating electromagnetic signals, which are scalable from RF/microwave to higher frequencies. Moreover, the fundamental device development process and design approach in this project can be applied to other electronic and electromagnetic systems, transforming the Navy#s current electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. Overall, the successful implementation of the proposed effort will strengthen the electromagnetic component technologies needed for future EW systems, and contribute to the Navy#s capabilities and competitiveness in pioneering technology for key areas such as communication, radar, sensing, and navigation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 08, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412352
Entities
People
- Hualiang Zhang
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Massachusetts