Reconfigurable thermally actuated transmissive and reflective metasurfaces

A system comprising:

• panels that are placed in an environment to provide network coverage in the environment,
• wherein each panel comprises:
• a substrate;
• a metallization layer formed on a first surface of the substrate, wherein the metallization layer is configured to be resonant at an operating frequency or an operating frequency range;
• a switch layer formed on a second surface of the substrate, wherein the switch layer is in a metallic state when a temperature of the switch layer is above a transition temperature and is in an insulator state when the temperature of the switch layer is below the transition temperature;
• and
• a refractory heater layer configured to generate heat such that the temperature of the switch layer is controlled,
• wherein the panel operates in a reflective mode when the switch layer is in the metallic state and operates in a transmission mode when the switch layer is in the insulator state,
• an insulator layer positioned between the switch layer and the refractory heater layer, wherein the insulator layer is thermally conductive,
• wherein the metallization layer comprises a plurality of unit cells that are configured to have a phase profile such that an incident signal is reflected in a specific direction when operating in the reflective mode;
• a cover layer formed over the metallization layer;
• a bottom cover layer formed below the refractory heater layer;
• and
• wherein:
• the refractory heater layer is transparent at least to the operating frequency or range of operating frequencies,
• the refractory heater layer comprises a meandering strip disposed at or near a periphery of the panel to reduce radio frequency interference on the metallization layer,
• wherein the refractory heater layer has a resistance and wherein a shape of the refractory heater layer is configured to avoid temperature gradients.