Nicoló Decarli | Searcharxiv

arXiv2023

6G Localization and Sensing in the Near Field: Features, Opportunities, and Challenges

The far-field channel model has historically been used in wireless communications due to the simplicity of mathematical modeling and convenience for algorithm design. With the need for high data rates, low latency, and ubiquitous connectivity in the sixth generation (6G) of communication systems, new technology enablers such as extremely large antenna arrays (ELAAs), reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), and distributed multiple-input-multiple-output (D-MIMO) systems will be adopted. These enablers not only aim to improve communication services but also have an impact on localization and sensing (L&S), which are expected to be fundamentally built-in functionalities in future wireless systems. Despite appearing in different scenarios and supporting different frequency bands, such enablers share the so-called near-field (NF) features, which will provide extra geometric information conducive to L&S. In this work, we describe the NF features, namely, the spherical wave model, spatial non-stationarity, and beam squint effect. After discussing how L&S see NF differently from communication, the opportunities and open research challenges are provided.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2020

Holographic Communication using Intelligent Surfaces

Holographic communication is intended as an holistic way to manipulate with unprecedented flexibility the electromagnetic field generated or sensed by an antenna. This is of particular interest when using large antennas at high frequency (e.g., the millimeter wave or terahertz), whose operating condition may easily fall in the Fresnel propagation region (radiating near-field), where the classical plane wave propagation assumption is no longer valid. This paper analyzes the optimal communication involving large intelligent surfaces, realized for example with metamaterials as possible enabling technology for holographic communication. It is shown that traditional propagation models must be revised and that, when exploiting spherical wave propagation in the Fresnel region with large surfaces, new opportunities are opened, for example, in terms of the number of orthogonal communication channels.

eess.SP↗