A Programmable Meta-System with Hybrid Architecture

In this paper, a meta-system with easy integration and energy conservation is presented, with a view to its practical application in wireless communication. The meta-system features a hybrid architecture that includes a programmable feed array and a metasurface lens. The feed array is divided into three subarrays, where active elements are doped with passive elements, and interconnected configurations are employed to decrease the number of active elements by one-third effectively. The metasurface lens serves as a passive phase shifter to improve beamforming performance, consequently reducing the number of active elements. An experiment in wireless communication is demonstrated, in which the meta-system acts simultaneously as a direct digital modulator and a transmitting antenna. With its cost-effectiveness, high integration, nearly passive feature, and programmability, the meta-system holds significant potential for future applications in wireless communications.