Conformal Radiation-Type Programmable Metasurface for Agile Millimeter-Wave Orbital Angular Momentum Generation

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics and Applied Physics
• Wireless Communication Systems
• Metamaterials and Nanophotonics

Background:

• Bandwidth scarcity necessitates advanced modulation techniques like orbital angular momentum (OAM).
• Millimeter-wave technology integrated with OAM is crucial for next-generation communications.
• Existing programmable metasurfaces for OAM generation have high profiles due to external feed sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a conformal radiation-type programmable metasurface for millimeter-wave OAM generation.
• To reduce the overall profile of metasurface systems.
• To enable conformal integration with platforms like satellites and aircraft.

Main Methods:

• Development of a series-parallel hybrid feed network to replace conventional external feeds.
• Design of an ultraportable, conformal cross-shaped metasurface architecture.
• Integration of beam scanning techniques for OAM wave deflection.

Main Results:

• Reduced metasurface system profile to less than 0.1λ.
• Achieved a realized gain of 22.54 dB and aperture efficiency of 21.75%.
• Generated high-purity OAM waves with topological charges l = 0, +1, +2, +3.
• Demonstrated beam scanning capabilities for dynamic receiver scenarios.

Conclusions:

• The proposed conformal metasurface offers a low-profile, ultraportable solution for OAM generation in millimeter-wave systems.
• The design effectively integrates with aerospace platforms, mitigating feed blockage and energy losses.
• The technology shows significant potential for enhancing future high-speed wireless communication applications.