Reflection Modeling of Modular Passive IRS Geometries

Abstract

Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) will be key for efficient ubiquitous 6G millimeter-wave (mmWave) connectivity. Geometry-defined static intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) following the HELIOS architecture could be adopted in the short term owing to scalability and compatibility with current generation networks. They need to be custom-tailored to the deployment scenario, however, reliance on electromagnetic (EM) simulations is a time-consuming bottleneck during the geometry optimization stage. Therefore, this letter introduces and validates an analytical reflection model based on physical optics (PO). Our findings demonstrate that the reflection pattern is accurately estimated, particularly within and around the main lobe, while significantly reducing computation time.