Researchers develop 2D metamaterial to enhance satellite communications

• Innovative design facilitates sophisticated manipulation of electromagnetic waves, specifically converting linearly-polarised signals into circular polarisation.
• Newly developed surface operates across a broad frequency range—spanning 12 GHz to 40 GHz—integral to satellite applications and remote sensing.
• It could help satellites provide better signals for phones, and more stable connections for data transmission and improve satellites’ ability to scan the surface of the earth to understand the effects of climate change and track wildlife migration.

Advancements in engineering, spearheaded by researchers at the University of Glasgow, have led to the development of an ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) surface that utilises the unique properties of metamaterials to significantly enhance satellite communication.

Metamaterials are artificially engineered structures designed to exhibit properties not found in natural materials. The team’s metamaterial, measuring a mere 0.64mm in thickness, is crafted from intricately patterned copper cells and is integrated with commercially available circuit boards typically used in high-frequency communications.

The innovative design facilitates sophisticated manipulation of electromagnetic waves, specifically converting linearly-polarised signals into circular polarisation.

Circular polarisation offers a multitude of advantages over traditional linear polarisation. Current satellite communication infrastructures primarily rely on linear polarisation, which can result in inefficiencies due to misalignment between transmitting and receiving antennas.

Such misalignments often lead to signal degradation, particularly in adverse weather conditions where atmospheric effects, such as rain fading and ionospheric interference, may further distort signals. By contrast, circular polarisation is inherently more robust, exhibiting enhanced resistance to these environmental factors.

Doubles channel capacity

The characteristic not only ensures more reliable communication between satellites and ground stations but also reduces the need for precise antenna alignment in mobile applications.

Moreover, the metamaterial’s capacity to use both right-hand and left-hand circular polarisation effectively doubles channel capacity. The flexibility not only simplifies the designs of antennas for small satellites but also enhances satellite tracking and fortifies communication links in challenging environments.

As a result, the  technology holds significant promise for modern satellite systems, paving the way for higher data transmission capabilities and improved remote sensing functionalities.

Experimental validation of the metamaterial’s effectiveness demonstrated a high degree of correlation between simulated and empirical results, particularly regarding its ability to convert linear to circular polarisation.

Testing showed that the metamaterial could maintain impressive performance even at angles of up to 45 degrees—critical in the space sector, where alignment between satellites and communication systems can be unpredictable.

Better signals for phones

Professor Qammer H. Abbasi, the lead author of the study from the James Watt School of Engineering, emphasised that previous metamaterial innovations have typically been constrained to narrow bandwidths, limiting their practical applications.

In contrast, the newly developed surface operates across a broad frequency range—spanning 12 GHz to 40 GHz—integral to satellite applications and remote sensing.

 “This kind of 2D metamaterial surface, capable of the complex task of linear to circular polarisation, can enable antennae to communicate with each other more effectively in challenging conditions. It could help satellites provide better signals for phones, and more stable connections for data transmission. It could also improve satellites’ ability to scan the surface of the Earth, improving our understanding of the effects of climate change or our ability to track wildlife migration.”

Dr Humayun Zubair Khan, a visiting postdoctoral student at University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering during the development of the metamterial surface and now at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan and the first author on the paper, said: “This is an exciting development, which outperforms previously-developed technologies by a significant margin.”

Being able to manipulate and convert electromagnetic waves with a single piece of equipment, he said opens up a range of new potential applications across the communications sector, but particularly in the space industry, where lightweight, compact materials are prized to help keep launch payloads down.

 “One of the most exciting aspects of the metasurface we’ve developed is that it can be easily mass-produced using conventional printed circuit board manufacturing techniques. That means that it can be made easily and affordably, which could help it become widely-adopted in the years to come as a valuable piece of onboard equipment for satellites,” Professor Muhammad Imran, who leads the University of Glasgow’s Communications, Sensing and Imaging hub, and a co-author of the paper, said.