Fluid Antenna-Aided Rate-Splitting Multiple Access

This letter considers a fluid antenna system (FAS)-aided rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) approach for downlink transmission. In particular, a base station (BS) equipped with a single traditional antenna system (TAS) uses RSMA signaling to send information to several mobile users (MUs) each equipped with FAS. To understand the achievable performance, we first present the distribution of the equivalent channel gain based on the joint multivariate t-distribution and then derive a compact analytical expression for the outage probability (OP). Moreover, we obtain the asymptotic OP in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. Numerical results show that combining FAS with RSMA significantly outperforms TAS and conventional multiple access schemes, such as non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), in terms of OP. The results also indicate that FAS can be the tool that greatly improves the practicality of RSMA.

RIS-Aided Backscattering Tag-to-Tag Networks: Performance Analysis

Backscattering tag-to-tag networks (BTTNs) represent a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system that enables direct communication between tags within an external radio frequency (RF) field. However, low spectral efficiency and short-range communication capabilities, along with the ultra-low power nature of the tags, create significant challenges for reliable and practical applications of BTTNs. To address these challenges, this paper introduces integrating an indoor reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) into BTTN and studying RIS's impact on the system's performance. To that end, we first derive compact analytical expressions of the probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) for the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the receiver tag by exploiting the moment matching technique. Then, based on the derived PDF and CDF, we further derive analytical expressions of outage probability (OP), bit error rate (BER), and average capacity (AC) rate. Eventually, the Monte Carlo simulation is used to validate the accuracy of the analytical results, revealing that utilizing RIS can greatly improve the performance of BTTNs in terms of AC, BER, OP, and coverage region relative to traditional BTTNs setups that do not incorporate RIS.

Performance Analysis of FAS-Aided NOMA-ISAC: A Backscattering Scenario

This paper investigates a two-user downlink system for integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) in which the two users deploy a fluid antenna system (FAS) and adopt the nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) strategy. Specifically, the integrated sensing and backscatter communication (ISABC) model is considered, where a dual-functional base station (BS) serves to communicate the two users and sense a tag's surrounding. In contrast to conventional ISAC, the backscattering tag reflects the signals transmitted by the BS to the NOMA users and enhances their communication performance. Furthermore, the BS extracts environmental information from the same backscatter signal in the sensing stage. Firstly, we derive closed-form expressions for both the cumulative distribution function (CDF) and probability density function (PDF) of the equivalent channel at the users utilizing the moment matching method and the Gaussian copula. Then in the communication stage, we obtain closed-form expressions for both the outage probability and for the corresponding asymptotic expressions in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. Moreover, using numerical integration techniques such as the Gauss-Laguerre quadrature (GLQ), we have series-form expressions for the user ergodic communication rates (ECRs). In addition, we get a closed-form expression for the ergodic sensing rate (ESR) using the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB). Finally, the accuracy of our analytical results is validated numerically, and we confirm the superiority of employing FAS over traditional fixed-position antenna systems in both ISAC and ISABC.

A Tutorial on Fluid Antenna System for 6G Networks: Encompassing Communication Theory, Optimization Methods and Hardware Designs

The advent of the sixth-generation (6G) networks presents another round of revolution for the mobile communication landscape, promising an immersive experience, robust reliability, minimal latency, extreme connectivity, ubiquitous coverage, and capabilities beyond communication, including intelligence and sensing. To achieve these ambitious goals, it is apparent that 6G networks need to incorporate the state-of-the-art technologies. One of the technologies that has garnered rising interest is fluid antenna system (FAS) which represents any software-controllable fluidic, conductive, or dielectric structure capable of dynamically changing its shape and position to reconfigure essential radio-frequency (RF) characteristics. Compared to traditional antenna systems (TASs) with fixed-position radiating elements, the core idea of FAS revolves around the unique flexibility of reconfiguring the radiating elements within a given space. One recent driver of FAS is the recognition of its position-flexibility as a new degree of freedom (dof) to harness diversity and multiplexing gains. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive tutorial, covering channel modeling, signal processing and estimation methods, information-theoretic insights, new multiple access techniques, and hardware designs. Moreover, we delineate the challenges of FAS and explore the potential of using FAS to improve the performance of other contemporary technologies. By providing insights and guidance, this tutorial paper serves to inspire researchers to explore new horizons and fully unleash the potential of FAS.

Coding-Enhanced Cooperative Jamming for Secret Communication in Fluid Antenna Systems

This letter investigates the secret communication problem for a fluid antenna system (FAS)-assisted wiretap channel, where the legitimate transmitter transmits an information-bearing signal to the legitimate receiver, and at the same time, transmits a jamming signal to interfere with the eavesdropper (Eve). Unlike the conventional jamming scheme, which usually transmits Gaussian noise that interferes not only with Eve but also with the legitimate receiver, in this letter, we consider that encoded codewords are transmitted to jam Eve. Then, by employing appropriate coding schemes, the legitimate receiver can successfully decode the jamming signal and then cancel the interference, while Eve cannot, even if it knows the codebooks. We aim to maximize the secrecy rate through port selection and power control. Although the problem is non-convex, we show that the optimal solution can be found. Simulation results show that by using the FAS technique and the proposed jamming scheme, the secrecy rate of the system can be significantly increased.

Channel Estimation and Reconstruction in Fluid Antenna System: Oversampling is Essential

Fluid antenna system (FAS) has recently surfaced as a promising technology for the upcoming sixth generation (6G) wireless networks. Unlike traditional antenna system (TAS) with fixed antenna location, FAS introduces a flexible component where the radiating element can switch its position within a predefined space. This capability allows FAS to achieve additional diversity and multiplexing gains. Nevertheless, to fully reap the benefits of FAS, obtaining channel state information (CSI) over the predefined space is crucial. In this paper, we explore the interaction between a transmitter equipped with a traditional antenna and a receiver with a fluid antenna over an electromagnetic-compliant channel model. We address the challenges of channel estimation and reconstruction using Nyquist sampling and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) methods. Our analysis reveals a fundamental tradeoff between the accuracy of the reconstructed channel and the number of estimated channels, indicating that half-wavelength sampling is insufficient for perfect reconstruction and that oversampling is essential to enhance accuracy. Despite its advantages, oversampling can introduce practical challenges. Consequently, we propose a suboptimal sampling distance that facilitates efficient channel reconstruction. In addition, we employ the MLE method to bound the channel estimation error by $\epsilon$, with a specific confidence interval (CI). Our findings enable us to determine the minimum number of estimated channels and the total number of pilot symbols required for efficient channel reconstruction in a given space. Lastly, we investigate the rate performance of FAS and TAS and demonstrate that FAS with imperfect CSI can outperform TAS with perfect CSI.

On Performance of FAS-aided Wireless Powered NOMA Communication Systems

This paper studies the performance of a wireless powered communication network (WPCN) under the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) scheme, where users take advantage of an emerging fluid antenna system (FAS). More precisely, we consider a scenario where a transmitter is powered by a remote power beacon (PB) to send information to the planar NOMA FAS-equipped users through Rayleigh fading channels. After introducing the distribution of the equivalent channel coefficients to the users, we derive compact analytical expressions for the outage probability (OP) in order to evaluate the system performance. Additionally, we present asymptotic OP in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. Eventually, results reveal that deploying the FAS with only one activated port in NOMA users can significantly enhance the WPCN performance compared with using traditional antenna systems (TAS).

Cache-Enabled Millimetre-Wave Fluid Antenna Systems: Modeling and Performance

This letter investigates the performance of content caching in a heterogeneous cellular network (HetNet) consisting of fluid antenna system (FAS)-equipped mobile users (MUs) and millimeter-wave (mm-wave) single-antenna small base stations (SBSs), distributed according to the independent homogeneous Poisson point processes (HPPP). In particular, it is assumed that the most popular contents are cached in the SBSs to serve the FAS-equipped MUs requests. To assess the system performance, we derive compact expressions for the successful content delivery probability (SCDP) and the content delivery delay (CDD) using the Gauss-Laguerre quadrature technique. Our numerical results show that the performance of cache-enabled mm-wave HetNets can be greatly improved, when the FAS is utilized at the MUs instead of traditional fixed-antenna system deployment.

On Performance of RIS-Aided Fluid Antenna Systems

This letter studies the performance of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided communications for a fluid antenna system (FAS) enabled receiver. Specifically, a fixed singleantenna base station (BS) transmits information through a RIS to a mobile user (MU) which is equipped with a planar fluid antenna in the absence of a direct link.We first analyze the spatial correlation structures among the positions (or ports) in the planar FAS, and then derive the joint distribution of the equivalent channel gain at the user by exploiting the central limit theorem. Furthermore, we obtain compact analytical expressions for the outage probability (OP) and delay outage rate (DOR). Numerical results illustrate that using FAS with only one activated port into the RIS-aided communication network can greatly enhance the performance, when compared to traditional antenna systems (TAS).

Physical Layer Security over Fluid Antenna Systems

This paper investigates the performance of physical layer security (PLS) in fluid antenna-aided communication systems under arbitrary correlated fading channels. In particular, it is considered that a single fixed-antenna transmitter aims to send confidential information to a legitimate receiver equipped with a planar fluid antenna system (FAS), while an eavesdropper, also taking advantage of a planar FAS, attempts to decode the desired message. For this scenario, we first present analytical expressions of the equivalent channel distributions at the legitimate user and eavesdropper by using copula, so that the obtained analytical results are valid for any arbitrarily correlated fading distributions. Then, with the help of Gauss-Laguerre quadrature, we derive compact analytical expressions for the average secrecy capacity (ASC), the secrecy outage probability (SOP), and the secrecy energy efficiency (SEE) for the FAS wiretap channel. Moreover, for exemplary purposes, we also obtain the compact expression of ASC, SOP, and SEE by utilizing the Gaussian copula under correlated Rayleigh fading channels as a special case. Eventually, numerical results indicate that applying the fluid antenna with only one active port to PLS can guarantee more secure and reliable transmission, when compared to traditional antenna systems (TAS) exploiting maximal ratio combining (MRC).