Beamforming Design for Intelligent Reffecting Surface Aided Near-Field THz Communications

Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) operating in the terahertz (THz) band has recently gained considerable interest due to its high spectrum bandwidth. Due to the exploitation of large scale of IRS, there is a high probability that the transceivers will be situated within the near-field region of the IRS. Thus, the near-field beam split effect poses a major challenge for the design of wideband IRS beamforming, which causes the radiation beam to deviate from its intended location, leading to significant gain losses and limiting the efficient use of available bandwidths. While delay-based IRS has emerged as a potential solution, current beamforming schemes generally assume unbounded range time delays (TDs). In this letter, we first investigate the near-field beam split issue at the IRS. Then, we extend the piece-wise far-field model to the IRS, based on which, a double-layer delta-delay (DLDD) IRS beamforming scheme is proposed. Specifically, we employ an element-grouping strategy and the TD imposed on each sub-surface of IRS is achieved by a series of TD modules. This method significantly reduces the required range of TDs. Numerical results show that the proposed DLDD IRS beamforming scheme can effectively mitigate the near-field beam split and achieve near-optimal performance.

Resource Management for IRS-Assisted Full-Duplex Integrated Sensing, Communication and Computing Systems

In this paper, we investigate an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) assisted full-duplex (FD) integrated sensing, communication and computing system. Specifically, an FD base station (BS) provides service for uplink and downlink transmission, and a local cache is connected to the BS through a backhaul link to store data. Meanwhile, active sensing elements are deployed on the IRS to receive target echo signals. On this basis, in order to evaluate the overall performance of the system under consideration, we propose a system utility maximization problem while ensuring the sensing quality, expressed as the difference between the sum of communication throughput, total computation bits (offloading bits and local computation bits) and the total backhaul cost for content delivery. This makes the problem difficult to solve due to the highly non-convex coupling of the optimization variables. To effectively solve this problem, we first design the most effective caching strategy. Then, we develop an algorithm based on weighted minimum mean square error, alternative direction method of multipliers, majorization-minimization framework, semi-definite relaxation techniques, and several complex transformations to jointly solve the optimization variables. Finally, simulation results are provided to verify the utility performance of the proposed algorithm and demonstrate the advantages of the proposed scheme compared with the baseline scheme.

Resource Allocation for RIS-Empowered Wireless Communications: Low-Complexity and Robust Designs

This article delves into advancements in resource allocation techniques tailored for systems utilizing reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), with a primary focus on achieving low-complexity and resilient solutions. The investigation of low-complexity approaches for RIS holds significant relevance, primarily owing to the intricate characteristics inherent in RIS-based systems and the need of deploying large-scale RIS arrays. Concurrently, the exploration of robust solutions aims to address the issue of hardware impairments occurring at both the transceivers and RIS components in practical RIS-assisted systems. In the realm of both low-complexity and robust resource allocation, this article not only elucidates the fundamental techniques underpinning these methodologies but also offers comprehensive numerical results for illustrative purposes. The necessity of adopting resource allocation strategies that are both low in complexity and resilient is thoroughly established. Ultimately, this article provides prospective research avenues in the domain of low-complexity and robust resource allocation techniques tailored for RIS-assisted systems.

Wideband Beamforming for STAR-RIS-assisted THz Communications with Three-Side Beam Split

In this paper, we consider the simultaneously transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS)-assisted THz communications with three-side beam split. Except for the beam split at the base station (BS), we analyze the double-side beam split at the STAR-RIS for the first time. To relieve the double-side beam split effect, we propose a time delayer (TD)-based fully-connected structure at the STAR-RIS. As a further advance, a low-hardware complexity and low-power consumption sub-connected structure is developed, where multiple STAR-RIS elements share one TD. Meanwhile, considering the practical scenario, we investigate a multi-STAR-RIS and multi-user communication system, and a sum rate maximization problem is formulated by jointly optimizing the hybrid analog/digital beamforming, time delays at the BS as well as the double-layer phase-shift coefficients, time delays and amplitude coefficients at the STAR-RISs. Based on this, we first allocate users for each STAR-RIS, and then derive the analog beamforming, time delays at the BS, and the double-layer phase-shift coefficients, time delays at each STAR-RIS. Next, we develop an alternative optimization algorithm to calculate the digital beamforming at the BS and amplitude coefficients at the STAR-RISs. Finally, the numerical results verify the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.

Beamforming Design for the Distributed RISs-aided THz Communications with Double-Layer True Time Delays

In this paper, we investigate the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided terahertz (THz) communication system with the sparse radio frequency chains antenna structure at the base station (BS). To overcome the beam split of the BS, different from the conventional single-layer true-time-delay (TTD) scheme, we propose a double-layer TTD scheme that can effectively reduce the number of large-range delay devices, which involve additional insertion loss and amplification circuitry. Next, we analyze the system performance under the proposed double-layer TTD scheme. To relieve the beam split of the RIS, we consider multiple distributed RISs to replace an ultra-large size RIS. Based on this, we formulate an achievable rate maximization problem for the distributed RISs-aided THz communications via jointly optimizing the hybrid analog/digital beamforming, time delays of the double-layer TTD network and reflection coefficients of RISs. Considering the practical hardware limitation, the finite-resolution phase shift, time delay and reflection phase are constrained. To solve the formulated problem, we first design an analog beamforming scheme including optimizing phase shift and time delay based on the RISs' locations. Then, an alternatively optimization algorithm is proposed to obtain the digital beamforming and reflection coefficients based on the minimum mean square error and coordinate update techniques. Finally, simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Resource Management for IRS-assisted WP-MEC Networks with Practical Phase Shift Model

Wireless powered mobile edge computing (WP-MEC) has been recognized as a promising solution to enhance the computational capability and sustainable energy supply for low-power wireless devices (WDs). However, when the communication links between the hybrid access point (HAP) and WDs are hostile, the energy transfer efficiency and task offloading rate are compromised. To tackle this problem, we propose to employ multiple intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) to WP-MEC networks. Based on the practical IRS phase shift model, we formulate a total computation rate maximization problem by jointly optimizing downlink/uplink IRSs passive beamforming, downlink energy beamforming and uplink multi-user detection (MUD) vector at HAPs, task offloading power and local computing frequency of WDs, and the time slot allocation. Specifically, we first derive the optimal time allocation for downlink wireless energy transmission (WET) to IRSs and the corresponding energy beamforming. Next, with fixed time allocation for the downlink WET to WDs, the original optimization problem can be divided into two independent subproblems. For the WD charging subproblem, the optimal IRSs passive beamforming is derived by utilizing the successive convex approximation (SCA) method and the penalty-based optimization technique, and for the offloading computing subproblem, we propose a joint optimization framework based on the fractional programming (FP) method. Finally, simulation results validate that our proposed optimization method based on the practical phase shift model can achieve a higher total computation rate compared to the baseline schemes.

Joint Beamforming Optimization for Active STAR-RIS Assisted ISAC systems

In this paper, we investigate an active simultaneously transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS) assisted integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) system, in which a dual-function base station (DFBS) equipped with multiple antennas provides communication services for multiple users with the assistance of an active STARRIS and performs target sensing simultaneously. Through optimizing both the DFBS and STAR-RIS beamforming jointly under different work modes, our purpose is to achieve the maximized communication sum rate, subject to the minimum radar signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) constraint, active STAR-RIS hardware constraints, and total power constraint of DFBS and active STAR-RIS. To solve the non-convex optimization problem formulated, an efficient alternating optimization algorithm is proposed. Specifically, the fractional programming scheme is first leveraged to turn the original problem into a structure with more tractable, and subsequently the transformed problem is decomposed into multiple sub-problems. Next, we develop a derivation method to obtain the closed expression of the radar receiving beamforming, and then the DFBS transmit beamforming is optimized under the radar SNR requirement and total power constraint. After that, the active STAR-RIS reflection and transmission beamforming are optimized by majorization minimiation, complex circle manifold and convex optimization techniques. Finally, the proposed schemes are conducted through numerical simulations to show their benefits and efficiency.

Physical Layer Security for NOMA Systems: Requirements, Issues, and Recommendations

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) has been viewed as a potential candidate for the upcoming generation of wireless communication systems. Comparing to traditional orthogonal multiple access (OMA), multiplexing users in the same time-frequency resource block can increase the number of served users and improve the efficiency of the systems in terms of spectral efficiency. Nevertheless, from a security view-point, when multiple users are utilizing the same time-frequency resource, there may be concerns regarding keeping information confidential. In this context, physical layer security (PLS) has been introduced as a supplement of protection to conventional encryption techniques by making use of the random nature of wireless transmission media for ensuring communication secrecy. The recent years have seen significant interests in PLS being applied to NOMA networks. Numerous scenarios have been investigated to assess the security of NOMA systems, including when active and passive eavesdroppers are present, as well as when these systems are combined with relay and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). Additionally, the security of the ambient backscatter (AmB)-NOMA systems are other issues that have lately drawn a lot of attention. In this paper, a thorough analysis of the PLS-assisted NOMA systems research state-of-the-art is presented. In this regard, we begin by outlining the foundations of NOMA and PLS, respectively. Following that, we discuss the PLS performances for NOMA systems in four categories depending on the type of the eavesdropper, the existence of relay, RIS, and AmB systems in different conditions. Finally, a thorough explanation of the most recent PLS-assisted NOMA systems is given.

The Far-/Near-Field Beam Squint and Solutions for THz Intelligent Reflecting Surface Communications

Terahertz (THz) and intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) have been regarded as two promising technologies to improve the capacity and coverage for future 6G networks. Generally, IRS is usually equipped with large-scale elements when implemented at THz frequency. In this case, the near-field model and beam squint should be considered. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the far-field and near-field beam squint problems in THz IRS communications for the first time. The far-field and near-field channel models are constructed based on the different electromagnetic radiation characteristics. Next, we first analyze the far-field beam squint and its effect for the beam gain based on the cascaded base station (BS)-IRS-user channel model, and then the near-field case is studied. To overcome the far-field and near-field beam squint effects, we propose to apply delay adjustable metasurface (DAM) to IRS, and develop a scheme of optimizing the reflecting phase shifts and time delays of IRS elements, which effectively eliminates the beam gain loss caused by beam squint. Finally, simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed schemes in combating the near and far field beam squint.

Beamforming Analysis and Design for Wideband THz Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Communications

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided terahertz (THz) communications have been regarded as a promising candidate for future 6G networks because of its ultra-wide bandwidth and ultra-low power consumption. However, there exists the beam split problem, especially when the base station (BS) or RIS owns the large-scale antennas, which may lead to serious array gain loss. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the beam split and beamforming design problems in the THz RIS communications. Specifically, we first analyze the beam split effect caused by different RIS sizes, shapes and deployments. On this basis, we apply the fully connected time delayer phase shifter hybrid beamforming architecture at the BS and deploy distributed RISs to cooperatively mitigate the beam split effect. We aim to maximize the achievable sum rate by jointly optimizing the hybrid analog/digital beamforming, time delays at the BS and reflection coefficients at the RISs. To solve the formulated problem, we first design the analog beamforming and time delays based on different RISs physical directions, and then it is transformed into an optimization problem by jointly optimizing the digital beamforming and reflection coefficients. Next, we propose an alternatively iterative optimization algorithm to deal with it. Specifically, for given the reflection coefficients, we propose an iterative algorithm based on the minimum mean square error technique to obtain the digital beamforming. After, we apply LDR and MCQT methods to transform the original problem to a QCQP, which can be solved by ADMM technique to obtain the reflection coefficients. Finally, the digital beamforming and reflection coefficients are obtained via repeating the above processes until convergence. Simulation results verify that the proposed scheme can effectively alleviate the beam split effect and improve the system capacity.