Binary Coded Phase Distribution of a Novel Intelligent Reflecting Surface for Beams-Steering

Though 5G is the latest communication technology, yet there are scopes of improvement. New technologies will be implemented in future 6G systems. Areas of improvement are the cell capacity, coverage area, device density, energy efficiency, spectrum uses, latency, location accuracy, and user experiences. Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) has received significant attention for future 6G applications. IRS has the potential to improve communication performance by reconfiguring the wireless propagation channels. IRS can play a significant role for telepresence systems requiring high-quality, real-time communication. In this paper, we have described a novel enveloped-shaped IRS for multiple beam forming and beam steering of the reflected signal @ 5.8 GHz. We have chosen 5.8 GHz band for its wide range of applications. The reflection phase of the unit-cell of the proposed IRS can be varied from −108° to 133° (total phase variation 241°) through changing the variable capacitance of the IRS. Achievable minimum magnitude of the reflection coefficient is −2.3 dB which is also the minimum value @ 5.8 GHz published so far. Such wide variation of phase and minimum value of magnitude response is helpful for multiple beam forming and beam steering of the reflected signal from the proposed IRS.

I. Introduction

Present wireless systems have reached up to a level of saturation in adaptive modulation, beamforming, massive MIMO, multi-carrier signaling, reconfigurable antennas etc. [1] . Increasing rate of new applications, highly dense communication networks, new requirements of users along with new networking trends may bring challenging communication issues by 2030, which require new paradigms of physical layer for 6G communications [2] – [5] . Onaway to avoid some issues of 6G is to redirect the incoming wave from the transmitter towards the receiver through an Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS). IRS can play a significant role for telepresence systems requiring high-quality, real-time communication. IRS can offer a better solution to achieve smart wireless channel environment [4] , [6] . IRS will provide high gain and smart wireless solutions for future 6G communications through low cost reflecting elements [3] , [7] .