A 20-Gbps Beam-Steered Infrared Wireless Link Enabled by a Passively Field-Programmable Metasurface

摘要

Beam steering is one of the main challenges in energy-efficient andhigh-speed infrared light communication. To date, active beam-steeringschemes based on a spatial light modulator (SLM) or micro-electricalmechanical system (MEMS) mirror, as well as the passive ones based ondiffractive gratings, are demonstrated for infrared light communication. Here,for the first time to the authors’ knowledge, an infrared beam is steered by 35◦on one side empowered by a passively field-programmable metasurface. Bycombining the centralized control of wavelength and polarization, a remotepassive metasurface can steer the infrared beam in a remote access point.The proposed system has the scalability to support multiple beams, flexibilityto steer the beam, high optical efficiency, simple and cheap devices on remotesides, and centralized control (low maintenance cost), while it avoidsdisadvantages such as grating loss, a small coverage area, and a bulky size.Based on the proposed beam-steering technology, a proof-of-conceptexperiment system with a data rate of 20 Gbps is also demonstrated.