Toward Metantennas: Metasurface Antennas Shaping Wireless Communications

Wireless communications are rapidly advancing toward the next generation with much higher expectations for data rates, reliability, coverage, capacity, efficiency, connection, and latency, compared with existing systems. The antenna, as the most unique and innovative passive device, plays a crucial role in shaping the future of wireless communications by enhancing the capabilities of the wireless systems. Following the introduction of crucial roles of antenna radiation patterns in modern wireless communication networks, we explore how metasurface antennas offer opportunities to transform wireless communications to the next generation. Subsequently, we elaborate on the impact of the metasurface antennas on wireless communications, focusing on the manipulation of radiation patterns of antennas using metasurfaces. The applications of metasurface antenna technology to the fifth-generation base stations, satellite communications, and wireless local area networks antennas are addressed as examples. Last, the article offers insights into the challenges that lie ahead, and outlines future directions for metasurface antenna technology. By harnessing the power of metasurfaces, the wireless communication landscape stands poised for a paradigm shift, aligning with the escalating demands of the modern era.