RESEARCH STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM TECHNOLOGY IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

It becomes more and more challenging to satisfy the long-term demand of transmission capacity in wireless networks if we limit our research within the frame of traditional electromagnetic wave characteristics (e.g., frequency, amplitude, phase and polarization). The potential of orbital angular momentum (OAM) for unleashing new capacity in the severely congested spectrum of commercial communication systems is generating great interest in wireless communication field. The OAM vortex wave/beam has different topological charges, which are orthogonal to each other. It provides a new way for multiplexing in wireless communications. Electromagnetic wave or synthetic beam carrying OAM has a spiral wavefront phase structure, which may provide a new degree of freedom or better orthogonality in spatial domain. In this paper, we introduce the fundamental theory of OAM. Then, OAM generation and reception methods are equally demonstrated. Furthermore, we present the latest development of OAM in wireless communication. We further discuss the controversial topic “whether OAM provides a new degree of freedom” and illustrate our views on the relationship between OAM and MIMO. Finally, we suggest some open research directions of OAM.