Benefiting from the growth of the bandwidth, Terahertz (THz) communication can support the new application with explosive requirements of the ultra-high-speed rates for future 6G wireless systems. In order to compensate for the path loss of high frequency, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) can be utilized for high array gains by beamforming. However, since a large number of analog phase shifters should be used to realize the analog beamforming, the existing THz communication with massive MIMO has very high energy consumption. To solve this problem, a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-based hybrid precoding architecture for THz communication is developed in this paper, where the energy-hungry phased array is replaced by the energy-efficient RIS to realize the analog beamforming of the hybrid precoding. Then, based on the proposed RIS-based architecture, a sum-rate maximization problem for hybrid precoding is investigated. Since the phase shifts implemented by RIS in practice are often discrete, this sum-rate maximization problem with a non-convex constraint is challenging. Next, the sum-rate maximization problem is reformulated as a parallel deep neural network (DNN)-based classification problem, which can be solved by the proposed low-complexity deep learning-based multiple discrete classification (DL-MDC) hybrid precoding scheme. Finally, we provide numerous simulation results to show that the proposed DL-MDC scheme works well both in the theoretical Saleh-Valenzuela channel model and practical 3GPP channel model. Compared with existing iterative search algorithms, the can proposed DL-MDC scheme reduces the runtime significantly with a negligible performance loss.
Benefiting from the ultra-wide bandwidth, terahertz (THz) communication is becoming a promising technology for future 6G networks. For THz communication, precoding is an essential technique to overcome the severe path loss of THz signals in order to support the desired coverage. In this article, we systematically investigate the dominant THz precoding techniques for future 6G networks, with the highlight on its key challenges and opportunities. Specifically, we first illustrate three typical THz application scenarios including indoor, mobile, and satellite communications. Then, the major diffe…
A new approach is presented to the problem of compensating the beam squint effect arising in wideband terahertz (THz) hybrid massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, based on the joint optimization of the phase shifter (PS) and true-time delay (TTD) values under per-TTD device time delay constraints. Unlike the prior approaches, the new approach does not require the unbounded time delay assumption; the range of time delay values that a TTD device can produce is strictly limited in our approach. Instead of focusing on the design of TTD values, we jointly optimize both the TTD and …
Benefiting from tens of GHz bandwidth, terahertz (THz) communication is considered to be a promising technology to provide ultra-high speed data rates for future 6G wireless systems. To compensate for the serious propagation attenuation of THz signals, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) with hybrid precoding can be utilized to generate directional beams with high array gains. However, the standard hybrid precoding architecture based on frequency-independent phase-shifters cannot cope with the beam split effect in THz massive MIMO systems, where the directional beams will split into …
In this paper, the performance of indoor Terahertz (THz) communication systems with one-bit digital-to-analog converters (DACs) is investigated. Array-of-subarrays architecture is assumed for the antennas at the access points, where each RF chain uniquely activates a disjoint subset of antennas, each of which is connected to an exclusive phase shifter. Hybrid precoding, including maximum ratio transmission (MRT) and zero-forcing (ZF) precoding, is considered. The best beamsteering direction for the phase shifter in the large subarray antenna regime is first proved to be the direction of the li…
In this paper, we introduce a theoretical framework for analyzing the performance of multi-reconfigurable intelligence surface (RIS) empowered terahertz (THz) wireless systems subject to turbulence and stochastic beam misalignment. In more detail, we extract a closed-form expression for the outage probability that quantifies the joint impact of turbulence and misalignment as well as the effect of transceivers' hardware imperfections. Our results highlight the importance of accurately modeling both turbulence and misalignment when assessing the performance of multi-RIS-empowered THz wireless sy…
Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is an emerging technology for wireless communication composed of a large number of low-cost passive devices with reconfigurable parameters, which can reflect signals with a certain phase shift and is capable of building programmable communication environment. In this paper, to avoid the high hardware cost and energy consumption in spatial modulation (SM), an IRS-aided hybrid secure SM (SSM) system with a hybrid precoder is proposed. To improve the security performance, we formulate an optimization problem to maximize the secrecy rate (SR) by jointly optimiz…
The revolution in the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks will bring changes on their communication models and a shift from the classical bent-pipe architectures to more sophisticated networking platforms. Thanks to technological advancements in microelectronics and micro-systems, the terahertz (THz) band has emerged as a strong candidate for inter-satellite links (ISLs) due to its promise of high data rates. Yet, the propagation conditions of the THz band need to be properly modeled and controlled by utilizing reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) to leverage their full potential. I…
Deep Learning-Based Tri-Hybrid Multi-User MIMO Precoding: The Blessing of EM-Reconfigurable Antennas
Beijing Institute of Technology（北京理工大学）；BIT (Zhuhai)（北京理工大学（珠海））；Tsinghua University（清华大学）；Guilin University of Electronic Technology（桂林电子科技大学）；Yangtze Delta Region Academy, BIT (Jiaxing)（北京理工大学（嘉兴）长三角研究院）；Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, BIT（北京理工大学前沿交叉科学研究院）
TeraHertz (THz) communications can satisfy the high data rate demand with massive bandwidth. However, severe path attenuation and hardware imperfection greatly alleviate its performance. Therefore, we utilize the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technology and investigate the RIS-aided THz communications. We first prove that the small-scale amplitude fading of THz signals can be accurately modeled by the fluctuating two-ray distribution based on two THz signal measurement experiments conducted in a variety of different scenarios. To optimize the phase-shifts at the RIS elements, we pro…
In terahertz (THz) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, the combination of huge bandwidth and massive antennas results in severe beam split, thus making the conventional phase-shifter based hybrid precoding architecture ineffective. With the incorporation of true-time-delay (TTD) lines in the hardware implementation of the analog precoders, delay-phase precoding (DPP) emerges as a promising architecture to effectively overcome beam split. However, existing DPP approaches suffer from poor performance, high complexity, and weak robustness in practical THz channels. In this pape…
Key generation is a promising technique to establish symmetric keys between resource-constrained legitimate users. However, key generation suffers from low secret key rate (SKR) in harsh environments where channel randomness is limited. To address the problem, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) are introduced to reshape the channels by controlling massive reflecting elements, which can provide more channel diversity. In this paper, we design a channel probing protocol to fully extract the randomness from the cascaded channel, i.e., the channel through reflecting elements. We derive the…
Beijing Institute of Technology（北京理工大学）；Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics（南京航空航天大学）；Beihang University（北京航空航天大学）；University of New South Wales（新南威尔士大学）；Zhejiang University（浙江大学）
Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) can significantly enhance the service coverage of Tera-Hertz massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems. However, obtaining accurate high-dimensional channel state information (CSI) with limited pilot and feedback signaling overhead is challenging, severely degrading the performance of conventional spatial division multiple access. To improve the robustness against CSI imperfection, this paper proposes a deep learning (DL)-based rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) scheme for RIS-aided Tera-Hertz multi-user MIMO systems. Specif…
Terahertz (THz) communications have been envisioned as a promising enabler to provide ultra-high data transmission for sixth generation (6G) wireless networks. To tackle the blockage vulnerability brought by severe attenuation and poor diffraction of THz waves, a nanoscale reconfigurable intelligent surface (NRIS) is developed to smartly manipulate the propagation directions of incident THz waves. In this paper, the electric properties of the graphene are investigated by revealing the relationship between conductivity and applied voltages, and then an efficient hardware structure of electrical…
Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is promising for future 6G wireless communications. However, the increased number of RIS elements results in the high overhead for channel acquisition and the non-negligible power consumption. Therefore, how to improve the system capacity with limited RIS elements is essential. Unlike the classical regular RIS whose elements are arranged on a regular grid, in this paper, we propose an irregular RIS structure to improve the system capacity. The key idea is to irregularly configure a given number of RIS elements on an enlarged surface, which provides extr…
Xidian University（西安电子科技大学）；Southeast University（东南大学）；Information Engineering University（信息工程大学）；Peng Cheng Laboratory（鹏城实验室）；University of New South Wales（新南威尔士大学）
We propose a holographic version of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) and investigate its application to terahertz (THz) massive multiple-input multiple-output systems. Capitalizing on the miniaturization of THz electronic components, RISs can be implemented by densely packing sub-wavelength unit cells, so as to realize continuous or quasi-continuous apertures and to enable holographic communications. In this paper, in particular, we derive the beam pattern of a holographic RIS. Our analysis reveals that the beam pattern of an ideal holographic RIS can be well approximated by that of …
Distributed phased arrays based multiple-input multiple-output (DPA-MIMO) is a recently proposed highly reconfigurable architecture enabling both spatial multiplexing and beamforming in millimeter-wave (mmWave) systems. In this work, we focus on coping with the hybrid precoding for the wideband DPA-MIMO system with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation. More specifically, we propose an alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) enabled hybrid precoding approach based on an alternating optimization framework, abbreviated to ADMM-AltMin, for such cooperative array-…
Thanks to the strong ability against the inter-cell interference, cell-free network is considered as a promising technique to improve network capacity. However, further capacity improvement requires to deploy more base stations (BSs) with high cost and power consumption. To address this issue, inspired by the recently developed reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technique, we propose the concept of RIS-aided cell-free network to improve the capacity with low cost and power consumption. The key idea is to replace some of the required BSs by low-cost and energy-efficient RISs. Then, in a w…
In this work, we investigate a novel simultaneous transmission and reflection reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted multiple-input multiple-output downlink system, where three practical transmission protocols, namely, energy splitting (ES), mode selection (MS), and time splitting (TS), are studied. For the system under consideration, we maximize the weighted sum rate with multiple coupled variables. To solve this optimization problem, a block coordinate descent algorithm is proposed to reformulate this problem and design the precoding matrices and the transmitting and reflecting co…
Terahertz (THz) communication is a promising technology for future wireless networks due to its ultra-wide bandwidth. However, THz signals suffer from severe attenuation and poor diffraction capability, making it vulnerable to blocking obstacles. To compensate for these two shortcomings and improve the system performance, an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) can be exploited to change the propagation direction and enhance the signal strength. In this article, we investigate this promising ultra wide band (UWB) THz IRS communication paradigm. We start by motivating our research and describin…
A two-user downlink network aided by a reconfigurable intelligent surface is considered. The weighted sum signal to interference plus noise ratio maximization and the sum rate maximization models are presented, where the precoding vectors and the RIS matrix are jointly optimized. Since the optimization problem is non-convex and difficult, new approximation models are proposed. The upper bounds of the corresponding objective functions are derived and maximized. Two new algorithms based on the alternating direction method of multiplier are proposed. It is proved that the proposed algorithms conv…
In this paper, we present a novel reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) system with 1-bit quantization at the ISAC base station. An RIS is introduced in the ISAC system to mitigate the effects of coarse quantization and to enable the co-existence between sensing and communication functionalities. Specifically, we design transmit precoder to obtain 1-bit sensing waveforms having a desired radiation pattern. The RIS phase shifts are then designed to modulate the 1-bit sensing waveform to transmit M-ary phase shift keying symbols to users. T…
We consider reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) aided sixth-generation (6G) terahertz (THz) communications for indoor environment in which a base station (BS) wishes to send independent messages to its serving users with the help of multiple RISs. For indoor environment, various obstacles such as pillars, walls, and other objects can result in no line-of-sight signal path between the BS and a user, which can significantly degrade performance. To overcome such limitation of indoor THz communication, we firstly optimize the placement of RISs to maximize the coverage area. Under the optimize…
Physical-layer key generation (PKG) exploits the reciprocity and randomness of wireless channels to generate a symmetric key between two legitimate communication ends. However, in multi-cell systems, PKG suffers from severe pilot contamination due to the reuse of pilots in different cells. In this paper, we invoke multiple reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) for adaptively shaping the environment and enhancing the PKG performance. To this end, we formulate an optimization problem to maximize the weighted sum key rate (WSKR) by jointly optimizing the precoding matrices at the base statio…
In this paper, we consider a reconfigurable intelligence surface (RIS) aided uplink multiuser multi-input multi-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system, where the receiver is assumed to conduct low-complexity iterative detection. We aim to minimize the total transmit power by jointly designing the precoder of the transmitter and the passive beamforming of the RIS. This problem can be tackled from the perspective of information theory. But this information-theoretic approach may involve prohibitively high complexity since the number of rate constraints that specif…
Existing research works on reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) based terahertz (THz) system ignores the effect of phase noise and employ the zero-boresight pointing errors model of the free-space optics channel in performance analysis. In this paper, we analyze the performance of RIS-THz transmission under the combined effect of channel fading, THz pointing error (TPE), and statistical phase noise due to imperfect phase compensation at each RIS element. First, we derive statistical results of the double $α$-$μ$ fading combined with the TPE and phase noise at individual RIS elements using…
Distributed phased arrays based multiple-input multiple-output (DPA-MIMO) is a newly introduced architecture that enables both spatial multiplexing and beamforming while facilitating highly reconfigurable hardware implementation in millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency bands. With a DPA-MIMO system, we focus on channel state information (CSI) acquisition and hybrid precoding. As benefited from a coordinated and open-loop pilot beam pattern design, all the sub-arrays can perform channel sounding with less training overhead compared with the traditional orthogonal operation of each sub-array. Furth…
Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) consisting of multiple reflective elements are a promising technique to enhance communication quality as they can create favorable propagation conditions. In this letter, we characterize the fundamental relations between the number of reflective elements and the system sum-rate in RIS-assisted multi-user communications. It is known from previous works that the received signal-to-noise ratio~(SNR) can linearly increase with the squared number of RIS reflective elements, but how many elements are sufficient to provide an acceptable system sum-rate still…
Thanks to the strong ability against the inter-cell interference, cell-free network has been considered as a promising technique to improve the network capacity of future wireless systems. However, for further capacity enhancement, it requires to deploy more base stations (BSs) with high cost and power consumption. To address the issue, inspired by the recently proposed technique called reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), we propose the concept of RIS-aided cell-free network to improve the network capacity with low cost and power consumption. Then, for the proposed RIS-aided cell-free ne…
The non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) are recognized as a key component to provide cost-effective and high-capacity ubiquitous connectivity in the future wireless communications. In this paper, we investigate the secure transmission in a terahertz (THz)-empowered reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted NTN (T-RANTN), which is composed of a low-Earth orbit satellite transmitter, an RIS-installed high-altitude platform (HAP) and two unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) receivers, only one of which is trustworthy. An approximate ergodic secrecy rate (ESR) expression is derived when the atmospher…
