Sunlight-powered self-sufficient reconfigurable metasurface: photovoltaic energy-harvesting with light-synchronous dynamic RCS modulation

Metasurfaces exhibit exceptional electromagnetic wave manipulation capabilities. However, static control struggles to adapt to dynamic environmental demands. Reconfigurable metasurfaces integrated with PIN diodes enable dynamic tuning but face challenges in power supply and device reliability. This work proposes a solar-powered metasurface that utilizes sunlight as both an energy source and a control signal, achieving radar cross-section (RCS) reduction during daylight and maintaining reflective communication at night. Placing diodes at the unit bottom minimizes damage risk, while partitioned biasing simplifies control and reduces power consumption. The phase response under varying current and voltage conditions demonstrates its excellent voltage stability and phase robustness. Solar cells provide sufficient voltage/current, and simulations/experiments validate beam deflection performance. The metasurface operates at a low voltage of 0.8 V and 0.1 A due to simplified biasing. This work presents a reconfigurable metasurface with a simple, low-power design and novel control logic, promising broad applications in outdoor adaptive stealth and environmental sensing.