An experimental investigation into smart radio environments

Rains, James (2024) An experimental investigation into smart radio environments. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The potential for dynamically manipulating the wireless channel introduces a revolutionary concept in wireless communication systems known as the smart radio environment (SRE). Recent works have suggested that SREs hold the promise of delivering unprecedented performance benefits to wireless networks. However, a notable gap exists as the overwhelming majority of published works on this subject lack a robust data-driven approach. This investigation into SREs sets out to bridge the chasm between theory and reality. Novel reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) prototypes have been developed, whose electromagnetic properties have been designed to efficiently reshape the wireless propagation environment to our advantage. Two extensive field measurement campaigns have been undertaken. A series of measurements obtained within RISaided wireless communication setups throughout an indoor environment reveal that substantial increases in channel gain are possible through strategic placement and configuration of these smart reflectors. Furthermore, frequency domain measurements obtained throughout an existing multi-antenna urban macrocell reveal the potential for contemporary networks to benefit from the SRE concept. The benefits RISs can bring to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) outdoor networks are revealed, alongside potentially detrimental impacts in the form of a reduced effective rank and increased interference. This works sheds a light on a number of practical issues, from design and implementation, to real-world deployment of RISs.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: T Technology > T Technology (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering
• Supervisor's Name: Imran, Professor Muhammad and Abbasi, Professor Qammer
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84319
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 May 2024 08:53
• Last Modified: 14 May 2024 08:55
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84319
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84319

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