Realization of Multi-Modulation Schemes for Wireless Communication by Time-Domain Digital Coding Metasurface

TLDR

Metasurfaces, particularly time‑domain digital coding metasurfaces (TDCM), offer customized electromagnetic responses and promise simple, low‑cost wireless communication architectures, yet they are limited by low conversion efficiency, spectrum pollution, and difficulty supporting high‑order modulation. To overcome these limitations, we propose a nonlinear regulation of TDCM reflection phases to realize multi‑modulation schemes. This is achieved by applying carefully designed regulation voltages to the diodes on the TDCM, enabling arbitrary constellation synthesis. The resulting system supports QPSK, 8PSK, and 16QAM with high stability, good communication quality, and seamless scheme switching, indicating promising applications in modern wireless communications.

Abstract

Metasurfaces are well-designed artificial periodic or quasiperiodic structures to achieve customized electromagnetic responses. Based on the time-domain digital coding metasurface (TDCM) with dynamic reflection or transmission characteristics, one can realize direct information modulation on the metasurface, which has been used in wireless communications. In comparison with the classical architectures of wireless communication systems, the TDCM has advantages for simple architecture, easy manufacture, and low cost. However, the wireless communication systems based on the TDCM are still limited by low conversion efficiency, spectrum pollution, and hard to implement high-order modulation schemes. To solve these limitations, we propose a new route to achieve multi-modulation schemes in wireless communications by regulating the reflection phases of the TDCM in a nonlinear way. By carefully designing the regulation voltages applied to the diodes on TDCM, arbitrary constellation diagrams are successfully synthesized. The novel systems can implement various modulation schemes such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), 8PSK, and 16QAM with good communication quality, high stability, and free scheme switching. The presented method may find important applications in modern wireless communication technologies.