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Main Authors: Li, Mingyi, Xu, Jiawen, Zhao, Hanting, Zhao, Xu, Chen, Yan Jin, Cui, Tie Jun, Galdi, Vincenzo, Li, Lianlin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.08208
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author Li, Mingyi
Xu, Jiawen
Zhao, Hanting
Zhao, Xu
Chen, Yan Jin
Cui, Tie Jun
Galdi, Vincenzo
Li, Lianlin
author_facet Li, Mingyi
Xu, Jiawen
Zhao, Hanting
Zhao, Xu
Chen, Yan Jin
Cui, Tie Jun
Galdi, Vincenzo
Li, Lianlin
contents Passive radars (PRs) provide a low-cost and energy-efficient approach to object detection by reusing existing wireless transmissions instead of emitting dedicated probing signals. Yet, conventional passive systems require prior knowledge of non-cooperative source waveforms, are vulnerable to strong interference, and rely on Doppler signatures, limiting their ability to detect subtle or slow-moving targets. Here, we introduce a metasurface-enabled PR (MEPR) concept that integrates a space-time-coding programmable metasurface to imprint distinct spatiotemporal tags onto ambient wireless wavefields. This mechanism transforms a PR into an active-like sensing platform without the need for source control, enabling interference suppression, signal enhancement, and accurate target localization and tracking in cluttered environments. A proof-of-concept implementation operating at 5.48 GHz confirms real-time imaging and tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles under interference-rich conditions, with performance comparable to active radar systems. These results establish MEPR as a solid foundation for scalable, adaptive, and energy-efficient next-generation integrated sensing and communication systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_08208
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Metasurfaces Enable Active-Like Passive Radar
Li, Mingyi
Xu, Jiawen
Zhao, Hanting
Zhao, Xu
Chen, Yan Jin
Cui, Tie Jun
Galdi, Vincenzo
Li, Lianlin
Signal Processing
Passive radars (PRs) provide a low-cost and energy-efficient approach to object detection by reusing existing wireless transmissions instead of emitting dedicated probing signals. Yet, conventional passive systems require prior knowledge of non-cooperative source waveforms, are vulnerable to strong interference, and rely on Doppler signatures, limiting their ability to detect subtle or slow-moving targets. Here, we introduce a metasurface-enabled PR (MEPR) concept that integrates a space-time-coding programmable metasurface to imprint distinct spatiotemporal tags onto ambient wireless wavefields. This mechanism transforms a PR into an active-like sensing platform without the need for source control, enabling interference suppression, signal enhancement, and accurate target localization and tracking in cluttered environments. A proof-of-concept implementation operating at 5.48 GHz confirms real-time imaging and tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles under interference-rich conditions, with performance comparable to active radar systems. These results establish MEPR as a solid foundation for scalable, adaptive, and energy-efficient next-generation integrated sensing and communication systems.
title Metasurfaces Enable Active-Like Passive Radar
topic Signal Processing
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.08208