The University of Southampton
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Centre for IoT and Pervasive Systems

Seminar: Sub-THz Wavefront Engineering for Near-field Communications Beyond 6G: From Theory to Experiments

Monday 1 June 2026, 13:00 - 13:50 (GMT)

Boldrewood, Building 185, room 3013

Speaker: Dr Doohwan Lee, NTT (Network Innovation Laboratories)

Teams: https://shorturl.at/hdvQP 

Banner with the name of the seminar and Dr. Doohwan Lee image

Abstract: As 6G networks evolve towards higher frequency bands including sub-terahertz (sub-THz) and centimeter-wave spectrum, the shortened wavelengths enable exploitation of physical properties of electromagnetic waves that have remained largely underutilized in conventional wireless systems. 

This tutorial introduces the revolutionary concept of “multishape radio,” which leverages unique electromagnetic wave characteristics such as non-diffracting propagation, orbital angular momentum (OAM), and curved main lobe propagation to enhance wireless communication performance beyond the limitations of traditional plane-wave beamforming. The manipulation of sub-THz electromagnetic waves using reconfigurable intelligent sur-faces (RIS) enables more customized beam control and the application of Airy and Bessel beams, which have not been extensively utilized until now.

This tutorial provides comprehensive coverage of three key multishape radio technologies: Bessel beams for non-diffracting and self-healing transmission, OAM beams for high-capacity spatial multiplexing, and Airy beams for interference-free communications with curved main lobe propagation characteristics.

The tutorial bridges theoretical foundations with experimental validation, featuring real-world demonstrations in sub-THz bands that showcase breakthrough achievements including terabit-class wireless transmission (1.58 Tb/s OAM multiplexing), enhanced coverage through self-healing propagation (15.9 dB power improvement with Bessel beams), and interference-free multi-stream communications (949.34 Gb/s with 8 Airy beams). Attendees will gain practical insights into lens design, beam generation techniques, and system implementation strategies that enable next-generation wireless networks to harness the full potential of electromagnetic wave physics.

This tutorial will provide the audience with an integrated understanding of the latest sub-THz experimental systems, practical beam generation strategies, and pathways for deployment in 6G network architecture. 

Bio: Dr. Doohwan Lee is a Senior Distinguished Researcher at NTT Network Innovation Laboratories. From 2012 to 2014, he was a full-time lecturer at the the University of Tokyo. From 2016 to 2018, he was a part-time lecturer at Kanagawa University. He received:

  • the Best Paper Award and Best Technical Exhibition Award from the IEICE Software Radio in 2011
  • the IEICE Communications Society Excellent Paper Award in 2012
  • the IEICE SRW Young Researcher’s Award in 2016
  • the Best Technical Exhibition Award from SmartCom 2014
  • the Best Paper Award from SmartCom 2016
  • the Best Paper Award and Special Technical Award in Smart Radio from IEICE Smart Radio in 2017
  • the Distinguished Contributions Award from the IEICE Communications Society in 2021
  • the ComEX Best Letter Award in 2023
  • the Radio Achievement Award from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan in 2024

He has served as general co-chair of many workshops held at the IEEE ICC, GLOBECOM, PIMRC, and VTC. He was a co-chair of the Membership Development Committee (MDC) of the IEEE ComSoC APB in 2022 and 2023.