Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces with integrated chalcogenide phase-delay elements

A method, comprising:

• obtaining, by a system comprising a processor, a phase shift value for a unit cell;
• and
• changing, by the system, a phase shift of the unit cell to match the phase shift value, comprising determining respective states of respective individual chalcogenide components of respective switches of the unit cell to vary a transmission line path length of a variable phase-delay line element, corresponding to a phase delay, from a first path length to a second path length,
• wherein the transmission line path length comprises a first sub-path length plus a second sub-path length, and wherein the changing of the respective states of the respective chalcogenide components comprises controlling at least some of the respective states to change the first sub-path length to a different first sub-path length.

A unit cell, comprising:

• a conductive patch;
• a phase delay element coupled to the conductive patch;
• and
• a phase shifter, the phase shifter comprising respective switches comprising respective chalcogenide material parts in respective low-resistance or high-resistance states, the phase shifter changing at least some of the respective low-resistance or high-resistance states of the respective chalcogenide material parts to select among available transmission paths that determine a length of the phase delay element, resulting in a phase shift of the unit cell with respect to redirecting an electromagnetic wave impinging on the unit cell,
• wherein the phase shifter comprises a pulse code modulation-based controller that controls a heater network for changing the at least some of the respective low-resistance or high-resistance states of the respective chalcogenide material parts.