Invention Description
Recent advancements in 5G and 6G networks operating at mmWave and THz frequencies promise higher speeds but face new challenges including free-space losses and hardware constraints. Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) address these challenges by dynamically manipulating electromagnetic waves using hundreds to thousands of tunable unit cells for beamforming and signal amplification. However, to properly control EM waves, individual control of the tuning state of every radiating element is needed.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed an optically driven biasing circuitry designed to operate reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) at millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies by replacing conventional vertical interconnects (vias) with optical control. The optically driven biasing circuitry is designed to overcome the limitations of traditional PCB circuit designs. By leveraging optical control, it unlocks the potential for larger-scale reconfigurable surfaces operating at higher frequencies, thereby enhancing performance and scalability. This approach simplifies biasing networks, avoids interference caused by vias, and enables scalable, compact, and flexible RIS implementations suitable for applications in advanced wireless communications, wearable devices, and radar systems.
This innovative optically driven biasing circuitry controls reconfigurable intelligent surfaces without the need for complex vertical electrical interconnects and may enable a new class of advantageous beamformers.
Potential Applications
- Advanced wireless communication networks including 5G and 6G
- Portable and wearable communication devices
- Health monitoring, military/defense industries
- Smart antenna systems for IoT and connected devices
- Holographic metasurface-based beamforming solutions
- Interference mitigation in high-density urban wireless deployments
Benefits and Advantages
- Eliminates the need for vertical electrical interconnects, simplifying PCB designs for RIS
- Enables scalable control of thousands of radiating elements without physical wiring constraints
- Enables compact, low-profile optical control directly within the surface
- Maintains high radiation performance comparable to ideal RIS without biasing circuitry interference
- Supports flexible and conformable designs suitable for wearable and curved surfaces
- Reduces system complexity and volume compared to traditional and previous optically driven biasing methods
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