Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Constructing 6G Near-Field Networks

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive review of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technologies for near-field wireless networks, highlighting their potential for 6G and discussing current challenges and future directions.

Contribution

It offers the first systematic survey of RIS-based near-field technologies, focusing on environment construction, 6G paradigms, and associated challenges.

Findings

RIS enables the creation of ubiquitous near-field environments.

RIS facilitates new 6G near-field communication paradigms.

Identifies key challenges in RIS-based near-field technology development.

Abstract

Near-field propagation, particularly that enabled by reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), has emerged as a promising research topic in recent years. However, a comprehensive literature review on RIS-based near-field technologies is still lacking. This article aims to fill this gap by providing a brief overview of near-field concepts and a systematic survey of the state-of-the-art RIS-based near-field technologies. The focus is on three key aspects: the construction of ubiquitous near-field wireless propagation environments using RIS, the enabling of new near-field paradigms for 6G networks through RIS, and the challenges faced by RIS-based near-field technologies. This technical review intends to facilitate the development and innovation of RIS-based near-field technologies.