Enhancing Physical Layer Security in MIMO Systems Assisted by Beyond-Diagonal Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) hold significant promise for enhancing physical layer security (PLS). However, conventional RISs are typically modeled using diagonal scattering matrices, capturing only independent reflections from each reflecting element, which limits their flexibility in channel manipulation. In contrast, beyond-diagonal RISs (BD-RISs) employ non-diagonal scattering matrices enabled by active and tunable inter-element connections through a shared impedance network. This architecture significantly enhances channel shaping capabilities, creating new opportunities for advanced PLS techniques. This paper investigates PLS in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system assisted by BD-RISs, where a multi-antenna transmitter sends confidential information to a multi-antenna legitimate user while a multi-antenna eavesdropper attempts interception. To maximize the secrecy rate (SR), we formulate it as a non-convex optimization problem by jointly optimizing the transmit beamforming and BD-RIS REs under power and structural constraints. To solve this problem, we first introduce an auxiliary variable to decouple BD-RIS constraints. We then propose a low-complexity penalty product Riemannian conjugate gradient descent (P-PRCGD) method, which combines the augmented Lagrangian (AL) approach with the product manifold gradient descent (PMGD) method to obtain a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) solution. Simulation results confirm that BD-RIS-assisted systems significantly outperform conventional RIS-assisted systems in PLS performance.

Theoretical and Empirical Study of Spatial Power Focusing Effect for Sparse Arrays at Terahertz Band

This work investigates the spatial power focusing effect for large-scale sparse arrays at terahertz (THz) band, combining theoretical analysis with experimental validation. Specifically, based on a Green's function channel model, we analyze the power distribution along the $z$-axis, deriving a closed-form expression to characterize the focusing effect. Furthermore, the factors influencing the focusing effect, including phase noise and positional deviations, are theoretically analyzed and numerically simulated. Finally, a 300 GHz measurement platform based on a vector network analyzer (VNA) is constructed for experimental validation. The measurement results demonstrate close consistence with theoretical simulation results, confirming the spatial power focusing effect for sparse arrays.

A Two-Stage ISAC Framework for Low-Altitude Economy Based on 5G NR Signals

The evolution of next-generation wireless networks has spurred the vigorous development of the low-altitude economy (LAE). To support this emerging field while remaining compatible with existing network architectures, integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) based on 5G New Radio (NR) signals is regarded as a promising solution. However, merely leveraging standard 5G NR signals, such as the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), presents fundamental limitations in sensing resolution. To address the issue, this paper proposes a two-stage coarse-to-fine sensing framework that utilizes standard 5G NR initial access signals augmented by a custom-designed sparse pilot structure (SPS) for high-precision unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) sensing. In Stage I, we first fuse information from the SSB, Type\#0-PDCCH, and system information block 1 (SIB1) to ensure the initial target detection. In Stage II, a refined estimation algorithm is introduced to overcome the resolution limitations of these signals. Inspired by the sparse array theory, this stage employs a novel SPS, which is inserted into resource blocks (RBs) within the CORSET\#0 bandwidth. To accurately extract the off-grid range and velocity parameters from these sparse pilots, we develop a corresponding high-resolution algorithm based on the weighted unwrapped phase (WUP) technique and the RELAX-based iterative method. Finally, the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm is adopted to prune the redundant detections arising from beam overlap. Comprehensive simulation results demonstrate the superior estimation accuracy and computational efficiency of the proposed framework in comparison to other techniques.

Sensing-enabled Secure Rotatable Array System Enhanced by Multi-Layer Transmitting RIS

Programmable metasurfaces and adjustable antennas are promising technologies. The security of a rotatable array system is investigated in this paper. A dual-base-station (BS) architecture is adopted, in which the BSs collaboratively perform integrated sensing of the eavesdropper (the target) and communication tasks. To address the security challenge when the sensing target is located on the main communication link, the problem of maximizing the secrecy rate (SR) under sensing signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio requirements and discrete constraints is formulated. This problem involves the joint optimization of the array pose, the antenna distribution on the array surface, the multi-layer transmitting RIS phase matrices, and the beamforming matrices, which is non-convex. To solve this challenge, an two-stage online algorithm based on the generalized Rayleigh quotient and an offline algorithm based on the Multi-Agent Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient are proposed. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. Compared to conventional schemes without array pose adjustment, the proposed approach achieves approximately 22\% improvement in SR. Furthermore, array rotation provides higher performance gains than position changes.

Mutual Coupling Aware Channel Estimation for RIS-Aided Multi-User mmWave Systems

This paper proposes a three-stage uplink channel estimation protocol for reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided multi-user (MU) millimeter-wave (mmWave) multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, where both the base station (BS) and the RIS are equipped with uniform planar arrays (UPAs). The proposed approach explicitly accounts for the mutual coupling (MC) effect, modeled via scattering parameter multiport network theory. In Stage~I, a dimension-reduced subspace-based method is proposed to estimate the common angle of arrival (AoA) at the BS using the received signals across all users. In Stage~II, MC-aware cascaded channel estimation is performed for a typical user. The equivalent measurement vectors for each cascaded path are extracted and the reference column is reconstructed using a compressed sensing (CS)-based approach. By leveraging the structure of the cascaded channel, the reference column is rearranged to estimate the AoA at the RIS, thereby reducing the computational complexity associated with estimating other columns. Additionally, the common angle of departure (AoD) at the RIS is also obtained in this stage, which significantly reduces the pilot overhead for estimating the cascaded channels of other users in Stage~III. The RIS phase shift training matrix is designed to optimize performance in the presence of MC and outperforms random phase scheme. Simulation results validate that the proposed method yields better performance than the MC-unaware and existing approaches in terms of estimation accuracy and pilot efficiency.

4D Imaging in ISAC Systems: A Framework Based on 5G NR Downlink Signals

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) has emerged as a key enabler for sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks, supporting spectrum sharing and hardware integration. Beyond communication enhancement, ISAC also enables high-accuracy environment reconstruction and imaging, which are crucial for applications such as autonomous driving and digital twins. This paper proposes a 4D imaging framework fully compliant with the 5G New Radio (NR) protocol, ensuring compatibility with cellular systems. Specifically, we develop an end-to-end processing chain that covers waveform generation, echo processing, and multi-BS point cloud fusion. Furthermore, we introduce Zoom-OMP, a coarse-to-fine sparse recovery algorithm for high-resolution angle estimation that achieves high accuracy with reduced computational cost. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves robust 4D imaging performance with superior spatial accuracy and reconstruction quality compared to conventional benchmarks, paving the way for practical ISAC-enabled environment reconstruction in 6G networks.

Large-Model AI for Near Field Beam Prediction: A CNN-GPT2 Framework for 6G XL-MIMO

The emergence of extremely large-scale antenna arrays (ELAA) in millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications, particularly in high-mobility scenarios, highlights the importance of near-field beam prediction. Unlike the conventional far-field assumption, near-field beam prediction requires codebooks that jointly sample the angular and distance domains, which leads to a dramatic increase in pilot overhead. Moreover, unlike the far- field case where the optimal beam evolution is temporally smooth, the optimal near-field beam index exhibits abrupt and nonlinear dynamics due to its joint dependence on user angle and distance, posing significant challenges for temporal modeling. To address these challenges, we propose a novel Convolutional Neural Network-Generative Pre-trained Transformer 2 (CNN-GPT2) based near-field beam prediction framework. Specifically, an uplink pilot transmission strategy is designed to enable efficient channel probing through widebeam analog precoding and frequency-varying digital precoding. The received pilot signals are preprocessed and passed through a CNN-based feature extractor, followed by a GPT-2 model that captures temporal dependencies across multiple frames and directly predicts the near-field beam index in an end-to-end manner.

Performance Analysis of OAMP Detection for ODDM Modulation in Satellite Communications

Towards future 6G wireless networks, low earth orbit (LEO) satellites have been widely considered as a promising component to enhance the terrestrial communications. To ensure the link reliability of high-mobility satellite communication scenarios, the emerging orthogonal delay-Doppler division multiplexing (ODDM) modulation has attracted significant research attention. In this paper, we study the diversity gain achieved by ODDM modulation along with the mathematical analysis and numerical simulations. Additionally, we propose an orthogonal approximate message passing (OAMP) algorithm based detector to harvest the diversity gain promised by ODDM modulation. By operating the linear and non-linear estimator iteratively, the orthogonal approximate message passing (OAMP) detector can utilize the sparsity of the effective delay-Doppler (DD) domain channel and extract the full diversity. Simulation results reveal the relationship between diversity gain and system parameters, and demonstrate that our proposed detector can achieve better performance than the conventional message passing methods with significantly reduced complexity.

From Large AI Models to Agentic AI: A Tutorial on Future Intelligent Communications

With the advent of 6G communications, intelligent communication systems face multiple challenges, including constrained perception and response capabilities, limited scalability, and low adaptability in dynamic environments. This tutorial provides a systematic introduction to the principles, design, and applications of Large Artificial Intelligence Models (LAMs) and Agentic AI technologies in intelligent communication systems, aiming to offer researchers a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge technologies and practical guidance. First, we outline the background of 6G communications, review the technological evolution from LAMs to Agentic AI, and clarify the tutorial's motivation and main contributions. Subsequently, we present a comprehensive review of the key components required for constructing LAMs. We further categorize LAMs and analyze their applicability, covering Large Language Models (LLMs), Large Vision Models (LVMs), Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), Large Reasoning Models (LRMs), and lightweight LAMs. Next, we propose a LAM-centric design paradigm tailored for communications, encompassing dataset construction and both internal and external learning approaches. Building upon this, we develop an LAM-based Agentic AI system for intelligent communications, clarifying its core components such as planners, knowledge bases, tools, and memory modules, as well as its interaction mechanisms. We also introduce a multi-agent framework with data retrieval, collaborative planning, and reflective evaluation for 6G. Subsequently, we provide a detailed overview of the applications of LAMs and Agentic AI in communication scenarios. Finally, we summarize the research challenges and future directions in current studies, aiming to support the development of efficient, secure, and sustainable next-generation intelligent communication systems.

Performance Analysis of Cooperative Integrated Sensing and Communications for 6G Networks

In this work, we aim to effectively characterize the performance of cooperative integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) networks and to reveal how performance metrics relate to network parameters. To this end, we introduce a generalized stochastic geometry framework to model the cooperative ISAC networks, which approximates the spatial randomness of the network deployment. Based on this framework, we derive analytical expressions for key performance metrics in both communication and sensing domains, with a particular focus on communication coverage probability and radar information rate. The analytical expressions derived explicitly highlight how performance metrics depend on network parameters, thereby offering valuable insights into the deployment and design of cooperative ISAC networks. In the end, we validate the theoretical performance analysis through Monte Carlo simulation results. Our results demonstrate that increasing the number of cooperative base stations (BSs) significantly improves both metrics, while increasing the BS deployment density has a limited impact on communication coverage probability but substantially enhances the radar information rate. Additionally, increasing the number of transmit antennas is effective when the total number of transmit antennas is relatively small. The incremental performance gain reduces with the increase of the number of transmit antennas, suggesting that indiscriminately increasing antennas is not an efficient strategy to improve the performance of the system in cooperative ISAC networks.