Document Type
Article
Publication Title
IEEE Access
Abstract
Metamaterials are three-dimensional engineered structures that manipulate electromagnetic waves in bulk, while Metasurfaces are their two-dimensional counterparts, enabling wave control with reduced thickness and simpler fabrication. These technologies have revolutionized antenna design, enabling the development of advanced metasurface antennas (metantennas) with unprecedented electromagnetic wave control. This article comprehensively reviews the classification, advancements, and prospects of metantennas, emphasizing applications in 5G and beyond. Metantennas, which use metasurfaces as primary radiating apertures, achieve significant improvements in key performance metrics. The review categorizes electromagnetic metasurfaces by operation, generation, and function, and analyzes various metantenna types with their design principles, advantages, challenges, and applications. It also highlights the impact of emerging materials and technologies on metantenna evolution. A comparative performance analysis illustrates their diverse applications in wireless communication, radar systems, satellite communication, and sensing. The review concludes with insights into future challenges and opportunities, underscoring the potential of metantennas to enable ultra-thin, conformal, and multifunctional antennas for next-generation systems, and serving as a valuable reference for researchers advancing metantenna technology toward superior performance in compact designs.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3624655
Publication Date
10-23-2025
Recommended Citation
M. Ashif Islam Oni, Y. Yang and S. Dey, "Advances in Metantennas: Classification and Future Prospects," in IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 183933-183963, 2025, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3624655.