Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications

Jun Wei Zhang; Zhen Jie Qi; Li Jie Wu; Wanwan Cao; Xinxin Gao; Zhi Hui Fu; Jing Yu Chen; Zheng Xing Wang; Si Ran Wang; Jun Wei Wu; Zhen Zhang; Jia Nan Zhang; Hui Dong Li; Jun Yan Dai; Qiang Cheng; Tie Jun Cui

doi:10.1002/lpor.202500692

Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications

Jun Wei Zhang (Co-first Author), Zhen Jie Qi (Co-first Author), Li Jie Wu (Co-first Author), Wanwan Cao, Xinxin Gao, Zhi Hui Fu, Jing Yu Chen, Zheng Xing Wang, Si Ran Wang, Jun Wei Wu, Zhen Zhang, Jia Nan Zhang^*, Hui Dong Li, Jun Yan Dai, Qiang Cheng^*, Tie Jun Cui^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves (City University of Hong Kong)

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

With the versatile manipulation capability, programmable metasurfaces are rapidly advancing in their intelligence, integration, and commercialization levels. However, as the programmable metasurfaces scale up, their control configuration becomes increasingly complicated, posing significant challenges and limitations. Here, a multiple-partition cross-modulation (MPCM) programmable metasurface is proposed to enhance the wireless communication coverage with low hardware complexity. First an innovative encoding scheme is proposed to multiply the control voltage vectors of row-column crossing, achieving high beamforming precision in free space while maintaining low control hardware complexity and reducing memory requirements for coding sequences. Then an MPCM programmable metasurface is designed and fabricated to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed encoding scheme. The simulated and experimental results show good agreements with the theoretically calculated outcomes in beam scanning across the E and H planes and in free-space beam pointing. The MPCM programmable metasurface offers strong flexibility and low complexity by allowing various numbers and combinations of partition items in modulation methods, catering to diverse precision demands in various scenarios. The performance of MPCM programmable metasurface is demonstrated in a realistic indoor setting, where the transmissions of videos to specific receiver positions are successfully achieved. It is believed that the proposed programmable metasurface has great potentials in significantly empowering the wireless communications while addressing the challenges associated with the programmable metasurface's design and implementation.

© 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Original language	English
Article number	e00692
Number of pages	11
Journal	Laser & Photonics Reviews
Volume	19
Issue number	21
Online published	14 Jun 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202500692
Publication status	Published - 6 Nov 2025

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFB3811502, 2018YFA0701904, 2021YFA1401002), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62288101, 62171124, 61631007, 61571117, 61138001, 61371035, 61722106, 61731010, 11227904, 62201139, U22A2001), the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (62225108), the 111 Project (111-2-05), the Jiangsu Province Frontier Leading Technology Basic Research Project (BK20212002), the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities (2242023K5002, 2242022k30004, 2242022R10055, 2242022R10185, 2242022k6003), the Jiangsu Provincial Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctor Program, the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20220808), the Program of Song Shan Laboratory (Included in the management of Major Science and Technology Program of Henan Province, 221100211300–02, 221100211300–03), the Southeast University - China Mobile Research Institute Joint Innovation Center (R207010101125D9), the Project Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves (Z202502-09), and the SEU Innovation Capability Enhancement Plan for Doctoral Students (CXJH_SEU 24069).

Research Keywords

beamforming
cross modulation
encoding scheme
multiple partition
programmable metasurfaces
wireless communication system

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Zhang, J. W., Qi, Z. J., Wu, L. J., Cao, W., Gao, X., Fu, Z. H., Chen, J. Y., Wang, Z. X., Wang, S. R., Wu, J. W., Zhang, Z., Zhang, J. N., Li, H. D., Dai, J. Y., Cheng, Q., & Cui, T. J. (2025). Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications. Laser & Photonics Reviews, 19(21), Article e00692. https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202500692

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title = "Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications",

abstract = "With the versatile manipulation capability, programmable metasurfaces are rapidly advancing in their intelligence, integration, and commercialization levels. However, as the programmable metasurfaces scale up, their control configuration becomes increasingly complicated, posing significant challenges and limitations. Here, a multiple-partition cross-modulation (MPCM) programmable metasurface is proposed to enhance the wireless communication coverage with low hardware complexity. First an innovative encoding scheme is proposed to multiply the control voltage vectors of row-column crossing, achieving high beamforming precision in free space while maintaining low control hardware complexity and reducing memory requirements for coding sequences. Then an MPCM programmable metasurface is designed and fabricated to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed encoding scheme. The simulated and experimental results show good agreements with the theoretically calculated outcomes in beam scanning across the E and H planes and in free-space beam pointing. The MPCM programmable metasurface offers strong flexibility and low complexity by allowing various numbers and combinations of partition items in modulation methods, catering to diverse precision demands in various scenarios. The performance of MPCM programmable metasurface is demonstrated in a realistic indoor setting, where the transmissions of videos to specific receiver positions are successfully achieved. It is believed that the proposed programmable metasurface has great potentials in significantly empowering the wireless communications while addressing the challenges associated with the programmable metasurface's design and implementation.{\textcopyright} 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

keywords = "beamforming, cross modulation, encoding scheme, multiple partition, programmable metasurfaces, wireless communication system",

author = "Zhang, {Jun Wei} and Qi, {Zhen Jie} and Wu, {Li Jie} and Wanwan Cao and Xinxin Gao and Fu, {Zhi Hui} and Chen, {Jing Yu} and Wang, {Zheng Xing} and Wang, {Si Ran} and Wu, {Jun Wei} and Zhen Zhang and Zhang, {Jia Nan} and Li, {Hui Dong} and Dai, {Jun Yan} and Qiang Cheng and Cui, {Tie Jun}",

year = "2025",

month = nov,

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doi = "10.1002/lpor.202500692",

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Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications. / Zhang, Jun Wei (Co-first Author); Qi, Zhen Jie (Co-first Author); Wu, Li Jie (Co-first Author) et al.
In: Laser & Photonics Reviews, Vol. 19, No. 21, e00692, 06.11.2025.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications

AU - Zhang, Jun Wei

AU - Qi, Zhen Jie

AU - Wu, Li Jie

AU - Cao, Wanwan

AU - Gao, Xinxin

AU - Fu, Zhi Hui

AU - Chen, Jing Yu

AU - Wang, Zheng Xing

AU - Wang, Si Ran

AU - Wu, Jun Wei

AU - Zhang, Zhen

AU - Zhang, Jia Nan

AU - Li, Hui Dong

AU - Dai, Jun Yan

AU - Cheng, Qiang

AU - Cui, Tie Jun

PY - 2025/11/6

Y1 - 2025/11/6

N2 - With the versatile manipulation capability, programmable metasurfaces are rapidly advancing in their intelligence, integration, and commercialization levels. However, as the programmable metasurfaces scale up, their control configuration becomes increasingly complicated, posing significant challenges and limitations. Here, a multiple-partition cross-modulation (MPCM) programmable metasurface is proposed to enhance the wireless communication coverage with low hardware complexity. First an innovative encoding scheme is proposed to multiply the control voltage vectors of row-column crossing, achieving high beamforming precision in free space while maintaining low control hardware complexity and reducing memory requirements for coding sequences. Then an MPCM programmable metasurface is designed and fabricated to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed encoding scheme. The simulated and experimental results show good agreements with the theoretically calculated outcomes in beam scanning across the E and H planes and in free-space beam pointing. The MPCM programmable metasurface offers strong flexibility and low complexity by allowing various numbers and combinations of partition items in modulation methods, catering to diverse precision demands in various scenarios. The performance of MPCM programmable metasurface is demonstrated in a realistic indoor setting, where the transmissions of videos to specific receiver positions are successfully achieved. It is believed that the proposed programmable metasurface has great potentials in significantly empowering the wireless communications while addressing the challenges associated with the programmable metasurface's design and implementation.© 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

AB - With the versatile manipulation capability, programmable metasurfaces are rapidly advancing in their intelligence, integration, and commercialization levels. However, as the programmable metasurfaces scale up, their control configuration becomes increasingly complicated, posing significant challenges and limitations. Here, a multiple-partition cross-modulation (MPCM) programmable metasurface is proposed to enhance the wireless communication coverage with low hardware complexity. First an innovative encoding scheme is proposed to multiply the control voltage vectors of row-column crossing, achieving high beamforming precision in free space while maintaining low control hardware complexity and reducing memory requirements for coding sequences. Then an MPCM programmable metasurface is designed and fabricated to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed encoding scheme. The simulated and experimental results show good agreements with the theoretically calculated outcomes in beam scanning across the E and H planes and in free-space beam pointing. The MPCM programmable metasurface offers strong flexibility and low complexity by allowing various numbers and combinations of partition items in modulation methods, catering to diverse precision demands in various scenarios. The performance of MPCM programmable metasurface is demonstrated in a realistic indoor setting, where the transmissions of videos to specific receiver positions are successfully achieved. It is believed that the proposed programmable metasurface has great potentials in significantly empowering the wireless communications while addressing the challenges associated with the programmable metasurface's design and implementation.© 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

KW - beamforming

KW - cross modulation

KW - encoding scheme

KW - multiple partition

KW - programmable metasurfaces

KW - wireless communication system

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001507867200001

U2 - 10.1002/lpor.202500692

DO - 10.1002/lpor.202500692

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1863-8880

VL - 19

JO - Laser & Photonics Reviews

JF - Laser & Photonics Reviews

IS - 21

M1 - e00692

ER -

Multiple-Partition Cross-Modulation Programmable Metasurface Empowering Wireless Communications

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