Ultrafast reconfigurable intelligent surfaces utilizing phase-change materials

A unit cell, comprising:

• a phase change material distributed over an area that corresponds to a surface of the unit cell, the phase change material comprising at least one of germanium telluride or antimony telluride;
• and
• a heater network comprising individually controllable heating elements distributed over the area to transfer heat to different portions of the phase change material, wherein the individually controllable heating elements are controlled to output heat corresponding to electrical pulses including a medium amplitude and relatively longer duration SET pulse for crystallization to an ON state corresponding to a lower resistance crystalline state, and a short duration and high amplitude RESET pulse to change to a higher resistance amorphous state, wherein the pulse transforms the phase change material and latches the phase change material into a respective state without a need for continuous power to the different portions to change an operational width of the phase change material that is based on a higher resistance width corresponding to the higher resistance amorphous state of the phase change material, and a lower resistance width corresponding to the lower resistance crystalline state of the phase change material, wherein the operational width determines a phase shift of the unit cell that redirects an electromagnetic wave impinging on the unit cell to a target location.

A device, comprising:

• a reconfigurable intelligent surface a group of unit cells, where each unit cell comprises:
• a phase change material distributed over an area that corresponds to a surface of the unit cell, the phase change material comprising at least one of germanium telluride or antimony telluride;
• and
• a heater network comprising individually controllable heating elements distributed over the area to transfer heat to different portions of the phase change material, wherein the individually controllable heating elements are controlled to output heat corresponding to electrical pulses including a medium amplitude and relatively longer duration SET pulse for crystallization to an ON state corresponding to a lower resistance crystalline state, and a short duration and high amplitude RESET pulse to change to a higher resistance amorphous state, wherein the pulse transforms the phase change material and latches the phase change material into a respective state, without continuously providing power to the different portions, to change an operational width of the phase change material that is based on a higher resistance width corresponding to the higher resistance amorphous state of the phase change material, and a lower resistance width corresponding to the lower resistance crystalline state of the phase change material, wherein the operational width determines a phase shift of the unit cell that redirects an electromagnetic wave impinging on the unit cell to a target location.