Polarization‐Decoupled Programmable Metasurface for Integrated Beam Steering and Electromagnetic Illusion

ABSTRACT

Programmable metasurfaces enable dynamic electromagnetic (EM) wave control, but many remain limited to single‐polarization operation or duplicated wavefront‐control functions. Here, we report a polarization‐decoupled 1‐bit reflective programmable metasurface that combines PIN‐diode‐loaded meta‐elements with a dual‐bias per‐element control network, enabling independent programming of two orthogonal linear polarizations on a shared aperture. The x‐polarization channel realizes wide‐angle beam steering, experimentally verified at six discrete frequencies from 10.0 to 10.5 GHz using 10.5 GHz‐designed phase codes. The y‐polarization channel demonstrates proof‐of‐concept EM illusion at 11 GHz by matching normalized angular scattering profiles in a selected observation plane under y‐polarized normal and 15° oblique illumination. A differential‐evolution‐assisted inverse‐programming workflow maps target scattering signatures to deployable low‐bit phase codes. Full‐wave simulations, microwave measurements, a 45° linearly polarized oblique‐incidence simulation, and co‐loaded cross‐interference tests validate the hardware‐algorithm co‐design and confirm weakly coupled functional coexistence between the two channels. This work provides a low‐complexity shared‐aperture route for integrating polarization‐selective communication/sensing and EM camouflage functions.