Hong Kong Varsity develops world’s first antenna for ultra-secure 6G

A research team led by Professor Chan Chi-hou, Chair Professor of Electronic Engineering at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), has achieved an unprecedented advance in antenna technology by developing the world’s first universal metasurface antenna.

The team achieved the feat by making possible the manipulation of all five fundamental properties of electromagnetic waves through software control. The metasurface antenna 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,” said Professor Chan, who is also Director of the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves (SKLTMW).

The antenna adjusts how strong the waves are, their timing, frequency, direction, and even the way they vibrate, all at the same time. It’s the first time anyone has made an antenna that can do all these things simultaneously, marking a significant breakthrough in this field.

As research on 6G wireless communication systems progresses worldwide, the universal metasurface antenna holds immense potential for various applications in 6G systems. Its advanced waveform manipulation capabilities and enhanced security features are crucial 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 an ideal candidate for eavesdropper-proof communications.

The antenna is special because it can be used in advanced information systems, like the ones we might have in the future. It’s great for handling a lot of data and keeping that data very safe. It can also transfer power wirelessly, meaning it can charge devices without physical connections.

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The antenna can control the direction of its signals, adding an extra layer of privacy and security. This makes it a good choice for communication systems where we want to ensure nobody can eavesdrop or secretly listen in on our conversations.

These technologies greatly extend the applications of the UMA in augmented reality, holography, integrated sensing and communications for 6G, quantum optics, and quantum information science.

Professor Wu Gengbo, from the Department of Electrical Engineering and a SKLTMW member, explained that 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,” said Professor Wu, who is the first author of the paper.

Although demonstrated in the microwave band, the UMA’s concept can be expanded to terahertz frequencies using specific technologies, enabling applications in augmented reality, holography, integrated sensing and communications for 6G, quantum optics, and quantum information science, noted the researchers in their study.