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A 20‐Gbps Beam‐Steered Infrared Wireless Link Enabled by a Passively Field‐Programmable Metasurface
Author(s) -
Huang Jianou,
Li Chao,
Lei Yu,
Yang Ling,
Xiang Yuanjiang,
Curto Alberto G.,
Li Zilun,
Guo Lei,
Cao Zizheng,
Hao Yue,
Koonen Antonius Marcellus Jozef
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
laser and photonics reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.778
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1863-8899
pISSN - 1863-8880
DOI - 10.1002/lpor.202000266
Subject(s) - beam steering , scalability , polarization (electrochemistry) , infrared , optics , beam (structure) , computer science , wireless , microelectromechanical systems , optical wireless , optoelectronics , materials science , telecommunications , physics , chemistry , database
Beam steering is one of the main challenges in energy‐efficient and high‐speed infrared light communication. To date, active beam‐steering schemes based on a spatial light modulator (SLM) or micro‐electrical mechanical system (MEMS) mirror, as well as the passive ones based on diffractive 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. By combining the centralized control of wavelength and polarization, a remote passive metasurface can steer the infrared beam in a remote access point. The proposed system has the scalability to support multiple beams, flexibility to steer the beam, high optical efficiency, simple and cheap devices on remote sides, and centralized control (low maintenance cost), while it avoids disadvantages such as grating loss, a small coverage area, and a bulky size. Based on the proposed beam‐steering technology, a proof‐of‐concept experiment system with a data rate of 20 Gbps is also demonstrated.