Still Waters Run Deep: Extend THz Coverage with Non-Intelligent Reflecting Surface

Abstract

Large reflection and diffraction losses in the Terahertz (THz) band give rise to degraded coverage abilities in non-line-of-sight (NLoS) areas. To overcome this, a non-intelligent reflecting surface (NIRS) can be used, which is essentially a rough surface made by metal materials. NIRS is not only able to enhance received power in large NLoS areas through rich reflections and scattering, but also costless and super-easy to fabricate and implement. In this article, we first thoroughly compare NIRS with the lively discussed intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) and point out the unique advantages of NIRS over IRS. Furthermore, experimental results are elaborated to show the effectiveness of NIRS in improving coverage. Last but not least, open problems and future directions are highlighted to inspire future research efforts on NIRS.