The Shannon Information Capacity of an Arbitrary Radiating Surface: An Electromagnetic Approach

Abstract

Utilizing a cross-disciplinary approach, we explore Shannon information-theoretic characterizations of the information capacity limits of generic electromagnetic (EM) surfaces intended for possible use in wireless communication links. Our principal task is to first formulate at a general and rigorous level the EM theory of the information that can be extracted from the Maxwellian fields radiated by an arbitrarily shaped continuous surface. This is then followed by a detailed derivation and illustration of practical physics-informed algorithms for computing approximations of the Shannon capacity of surfaces with any given geometry operating in Gaussian channels. Our formalism can address both near- and far-field information capacity scenarios, with a mathematical treatment that includes a complete characterization of the source-field polarization structure, mutual coupling, and interactions.