Phase Change Material-Driven Tunable Metasurface for Adaptive Terahertz Sensing and Communication in 6G Perceptive Networks

Yat-Sing To; Jiachen Du; Cyril Decroze; Laure Huitema; Aurelian Crunteanu; Hang Wong

doi:10.1002/adfm.202515085

Phase Change Material-Driven Tunable Metasurface for Adaptive Terahertz Sensing and Communication in 6G Perceptive Networks

Yat-Sing To, Jiachen Du, Cyril Decroze, Laure Huitema, Aurelian Crunteanu^*, Hang Wong^*

^*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

4 Citations (Scopus)

3 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Terahertz (THz) wireless technology offers unprecedented capabilities in sensing, imaging, and communication for 6G perceptive networks. Recent reconfigurable THz metasurfaces enable adaptive beam manipulation, supporting diverse functionalities like frequency, polarization, spatial, and temporal adjustments for rapid communications and object tracking. However, these are hindered by multilayer complexity, insertion losses, and scalability challenges. Here, it is overcome these constraints by realizing a pioneering single-layer, optically activated tunable metasurface incorporating Germanium Telluride (GeTe) material, acquiring multifunctional THz sensing, imaging, and communication within a unified platform for the first time. GeTe’s low-power, non-volatile switching facilitates dynamic reconfiguration, eliminating bulky bias networks of traditional THz metasurfaces. This measured metasurface delivers an adaptive sub-THz communication channel with extensive coverage and enhanced passive object detection via wide frequency-dispersive scanning. Leveraging phase-change material-driven tunability, this antenna technique enables efficient, adaptive 6G connectivity and high-precision localization, with transformative potential for low Earth orbit networks, smart cities, and advanced Internet of Things (IoT). © 2025 The Author(s).

Original language	English
Article number	e15085
Journal	Advanced Functional Materials
Volume	36
Issue number	12
Online published	11 Sept 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202515085
Publication status	Published - 9 Feb 2026

Funding

This work was supported in part by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR, China (Project Nos. CityU 11210621, C1009-22GF, and AoE/E-101/23-N), the Shenzhen-HongKong-Macau Science and Technology Project (Category C) under project SGDX 20230821100459006, and the support of the XLIM's Platinom platform, with funding from Nouvelle Aquitaine region council and the European Union under the PILIM program.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Research Keywords

communication
metasurface
phase change material
sensing
terahertz

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1002/adfm.202515085

312928843.pdfFinal Published version, 3.85 MBLicence: CC BY

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Cite this

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abstract = "Terahertz (THz) wireless technology offers unprecedented capabilities in sensing, imaging, and communication for 6G perceptive networks. Recent reconfigurable THz metasurfaces enable adaptive beam manipulation, supporting diverse functionalities like frequency, polarization, spatial, and temporal adjustments for rapid communications and object tracking. However, these are hindered by multilayer complexity, insertion losses, and scalability challenges. Here, it is overcome these constraints by realizing a pioneering single-layer, optically activated tunable metasurface incorporating Germanium Telluride (GeTe) material, acquiring multifunctional THz sensing, imaging, and communication within a unified platform for the first time. GeTe{\textquoteright}s low-power, non-volatile switching facilitates dynamic reconfiguration, eliminating bulky bias networks of traditional THz metasurfaces. This measured metasurface delivers an adaptive sub-THz communication channel with extensive coverage and enhanced passive object detection via wide frequency-dispersive scanning. Leveraging phase-change material-driven tunability, this antenna technique enables efficient, adaptive 6G connectivity and high-precision localization, with transformative potential for low Earth orbit networks, smart cities, and advanced Internet of Things (IoT). {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s).",

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author = "Yat-Sing To and Jiachen Du and Cyril Decroze and Laure Huitema and Aurelian Crunteanu and Hang Wong",

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T1 - Phase Change Material-Driven Tunable Metasurface for Adaptive Terahertz Sensing and Communication in 6G Perceptive Networks

AU - To, Yat-Sing

AU - Du, Jiachen

AU - Decroze, Cyril

AU - Huitema, Laure

AU - Crunteanu, Aurelian

AU - Wong, Hang

PY - 2026/2/9

Y1 - 2026/2/9

N2 - Terahertz (THz) wireless technology offers unprecedented capabilities in sensing, imaging, and communication for 6G perceptive networks. Recent reconfigurable THz metasurfaces enable adaptive beam manipulation, supporting diverse functionalities like frequency, polarization, spatial, and temporal adjustments for rapid communications and object tracking. However, these are hindered by multilayer complexity, insertion losses, and scalability challenges. Here, it is overcome these constraints by realizing a pioneering single-layer, optically activated tunable metasurface incorporating Germanium Telluride (GeTe) material, acquiring multifunctional THz sensing, imaging, and communication within a unified platform for the first time. GeTe’s low-power, non-volatile switching facilitates dynamic reconfiguration, eliminating bulky bias networks of traditional THz metasurfaces. This measured metasurface delivers an adaptive sub-THz communication channel with extensive coverage and enhanced passive object detection via wide frequency-dispersive scanning. Leveraging phase-change material-driven tunability, this antenna technique enables efficient, adaptive 6G connectivity and high-precision localization, with transformative potential for low Earth orbit networks, smart cities, and advanced Internet of Things (IoT). © 2025 The Author(s).

AB - Terahertz (THz) wireless technology offers unprecedented capabilities in sensing, imaging, and communication for 6G perceptive networks. Recent reconfigurable THz metasurfaces enable adaptive beam manipulation, supporting diverse functionalities like frequency, polarization, spatial, and temporal adjustments for rapid communications and object tracking. However, these are hindered by multilayer complexity, insertion losses, and scalability challenges. Here, it is overcome these constraints by realizing a pioneering single-layer, optically activated tunable metasurface incorporating Germanium Telluride (GeTe) material, acquiring multifunctional THz sensing, imaging, and communication within a unified platform for the first time. GeTe’s low-power, non-volatile switching facilitates dynamic reconfiguration, eliminating bulky bias networks of traditional THz metasurfaces. This measured metasurface delivers an adaptive sub-THz communication channel with extensive coverage and enhanced passive object detection via wide frequency-dispersive scanning. Leveraging phase-change material-driven tunability, this antenna technique enables efficient, adaptive 6G connectivity and high-precision localization, with transformative potential for low Earth orbit networks, smart cities, and advanced Internet of Things (IoT). © 2025 The Author(s).

KW - communication

KW - metasurface

KW - phase change material

KW - sensing

KW - terahertz

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ER -

Phase Change Material-Driven Tunable Metasurface for Adaptive Terahertz Sensing and Communication in 6G Perceptive Networks

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

AoE(UGC): Advanced Antenna Technology for a Smart World

GRF: Investigation of Terahertz Antenna Designs for 6G Communications

Cite this

Phase Change Material-Driven Tunable Metasurface for Adaptive Terahertz Sensing and Communication in 6G Perceptive Networks

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

AoE(UGC): Advanced Antenna Technology for a Smart World

GRF: Investigation of Terahertz Antenna Designs for 6G Communications

Cite this