Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Energy-Efficient Indoor Terahertz Wireless Communications

With the fifth-generation (5G) networks widely commercialized and fast deployed, the sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication is envisioned to provide competitive Quality of Service (QoS) in multiple aspects to global users. The critical and underlying research of 6G is, first, highly dependent on the precise modeling and characterization of the wireless propagation when the spectrum is believed to expand to the terahertz (THz) domain. Moreover, future networks' power consumption and energy efficiency are critical factors to consider. In this research, based on a review of the fundamental mechanisms of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted wireless communications, we utilize the 3-D ray-tracing method to analyze a realistic indoor THz propagation environment with the existence of human blockers. Furthermore, we propose a distributed RISs framework (DRF) to assist the indoor THz wireless communication to achieve overall energy efficiency. The numerical analysis of simulation results based on more than 2900 indoor THz wireless communication subscenarios has demonstrated the significant efficacy of applying distributed RISs to overcome the mobile human blockage issue, improve the THz signal coverage, and increase signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and QoS. With practical hardware design constraints investigated, we eventually envision how to utilize the existing integrated sensing and communication techniques to deploy and operate such a system in reality. Such a DRF can also lay the foundation of efficient THz communications for Internet of Things (IoT) networks.

Automated summary

With the commercialization and rapid deployment of 5G networks, the development of 6G wireless communication is focusing on providing competitive Quality of Service (QoS) to global users. This research emphasizes the modeling and characterization of wireless propagation in the terahertz (THz) domain and addresses the energy efficiency of future networks. By utilizing reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted wireless communications and a distributed RISs framework (DRF), the study demonstrates the efficacy of overcoming human blockage, improving THz signal coverage, and increasing signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and QoS. Moreover, the research explores the practical implementation of such a system with integrated sensing and communication techniques for efficient THz communications in IoT networks.