Phase Change Material-Driven Tunable Metasurface for Adaptive Terahertz Sensing and Communication in 6G Perceptive Networks

Abstract

Terahertz (THz) wireless technology offers unprecedented capabilities in sensing, imaging, and communication for 6G perceptive networks. Recent reconfigurable THz metasurfaces enable adaptive beam manipulation, supporting diverse functionalities like frequency, polarization, spatial, and temporal adjustments for rapid communications and object tracking. However, these are hindered by multilayer complexity, insertion losses, and scalability challenges. Here, it is overcome these constraints by realizing a pioneering single-layer, optically activated tunable metasurface incorporating Germanium Telluride (GeTe) material, acquiring multifunctional THz sensing, imaging, and communication within a unified platform for the first time. GeTe’s low-power, non-volatile switching facilitates dynamic reconfiguration, eliminating bulky bias networks of traditional THz metasurfaces. This measured metasurface delivers an adaptive sub-THz communication channel with extensive coverage and enhanced passive object detection via wide frequency-dispersive scanning. Leveraging phase-change material-driven tunability, this antenna technique enables efficient, adaptive 6G connectivity and high-precision localization, with transformative potential for low Earth orbit networks, smart cities, and advanced Internet of Things (IoT).