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Programmable calculus operations in electromagnetic space using space-time-coding metasurface
Hao Tian Shi1, Lei Zhang1, Rui Yuan Wu2
1State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
National Science Review
|June 8, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a space-time-coding metasurface (STCM) system for performing calculus operations on electromagnetic (EM) waves. The programmable STCM enables real-time differentiation and integration, advancing wave-based computation.
Area of Science:
- Electromagnetism
- Metamaterials Science
- Applied Physics
Background:
- Metasurfaces offer advanced control over electromagnetic (EM) waves.
- Programmable metasurfaces are crucial for simplifying complex information systems.
- Wave-based computation using metasurfaces is an emerging research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a space-time-coding metasurface (STCM) system for performing calculus operations directly on EM waves.
- To demonstrate the STCM's capability for real-time, programmable differentiation and integration.
- To validate the system's feasibility through theoretical, numerical, and experimental approaches.
Main Methods:
- Development of a space-time-coding metasurface (STCM) system.
- Exploitation of harmonic characteristics induced by time-varying coding for meta-atom control.
- Design and numerical simulation of space-time-coding sequences for calculus operations.
- Experimental validation using a programmable 2-bit STCM.
Main Results:
- The STCM system successfully performs calculus operations (differentiation and integration) on spatial energy distributions of EM waves.
- Programmable space-time-coding sequences enable dynamic switching between different calculus tasks.
- Independent and simultaneous implementation of multiple calculus operations on incident EM waves was achieved.
- Experimental results show good agreement with theoretical predictions and numerical simulations.
Conclusions:
- The proposed STCM system provides a feasible method for performing calculus operations in electromagnetic space.
- The STCM's programmability and real-time functionality offer broad application prospects in EM wave manipulation, wireless communications, and signal processing.
- This work advances the field of wave-based computation and programmable metasurfaces.
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