Meta-encryptor with multi-dimensional security architecture for wireless communications
As wireless technologies advance and new applications emerge, ensuring secure and resilient networks is increasingly critical. Here, we propose a wireless security mechanism based on a meta-encryptor (ME) with low-complexity architecture leveraging the unique capability of information metasurface. ME controls electromagnetic waves in time, space, and frequency domains, and, combined with encryption strategies, enables elastic, complementary multi-dimensional security. Three advanced security dimensions are demonstrated: (1) directional beam secure transmission that confines transmissions to intended receivers; (2) dual channel direct and hybrid modulations that distribute information while complementing resilient cryptography; and (3) wide range frequency-hopping transmission to effectively mitigate eavesdropping. By unifying multiple security functions on a single platform, a V-band prototype attains 100 Mbps while realizes wireless security, allowing flexible and elastic configuration without using conventional baseband mixing and bulky hardware. ME highlights the potential of information metasurface for next-generation secure wireless networks with low complexity and high efficiency.
Authors
- Tie Jun Cui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5862-1497)
- Chong Han (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9638-4736)
- Liang Jin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1695-3300)
- Xiaojian Fu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8323-2015)
- Weijun Gao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0299-3686)
- Yujie Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3910-511X)
- Lei Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8791-6374)
Institutions
- PLA Information Engineering University (CN)
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Southeast University (BD)
- Shanghai Research Center for Wireless Communications (CN)
- Southeast University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-11-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66668-x
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Wireless Communication Technologies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project