Novel antenna for high-security 6G communications

A team of researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has advanced antenna technology by enabling the manipulation of all five fundamental properties of electromagnetic waves through software control. The team, led by Professor Chan Chi-hou, Chair Professor of Electronic Engineering, developed a universal metasurface antenna that allows the independent and simultaneous manipulation of amplitude, phase, frequency, polarisation and direction of electromagnetic radiation. “A universal component capable of manipulating all the fundamental wave properties is the Holy Grail for physicists and engineers,” Chan said.

As research on 6G wireless communication systems progresses worldwide, the universal metasurface antenna holds potential for various applications in 6G systems. Its advanced waveform manipulation capabilities and enhanced security features are critical for integrating sensing and communications. The universal metasurface antenna can be used for next-generation, large-capacity, high-security information systems, real-time imaging and wireless power transfer. The antenna’s inherent direction modulation properties also enhance privacy and security, making it suitable for eavesdropper-proof communications. The research findings have been published online in Nature Communications.

Professor Wu Gengbo from the Department of Electrical Engineering said the universal metasurface antenna can manipulate information by directly generating the modulated waveform in free space. “We hope that the universal metasurface antenna can work as a simplified information transmitter with low cost, high integration and low power consumption,” Wu said.

Professor Chan added that the invention also introduces new features to integrating sensing and communications.

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