Jakarta, INTI - The advancement of electromagnetic field measurement and radio frequency (RF) imaging technologies has become increasingly crucial amid the growing demand for smarter and more precise communication systems, sensors, and electronic devices. Addressing this challenge, Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), through its Electronics Research Center (PRE) under the Research Organization for Electronics and Informatics (OREI), is accelerating the development of metasurface technology, which has the potential to enable more compact, efficient, and real-time sensing systems.
This was conveyed by Head of BRIN’s Electronics Research Center, Yusuf Nur Wijayanto, during the opening of the 2026 Volume 2 Scientific Sharing on Electronics Science and Technology and Its Applications (SISTEM) webinar titled “Metasurface-Based Techniques for Electromagnetic Field Measurement and RF Imaging” on Friday, June 12, 2026.
According to Yusuf, the SISTEM webinar aims to provide participants with deeper insights into the latest developments in metasurface technology, encouraging independent research innovations that align with the needs of Indonesia’s electronic industry.
“Furthermore, this forum is expected to become a platform for discussing various technical challenges in metasurface development, including bandwidth optimization in resonant structures, antenna diagnostic systems, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and next-generation wireless communication systems,” Yusuf stated.
Advanced Metasurface Absorber and Mixed Reality Enhance RF Field Visualization
Satoshi Yagitani from Kanazawa University, Japan, presented the development of a thin metasurface absorber based on a mushroom-shaped cell array integrated with lumped resistors.
“We have mapped the power distribution and phase of radio waves incident on the sensor surface. This innovation utilizes Mixed Reality (MR)-based visualization, allowing researchers to directly observe RF field distributions overlaid onto the real-world environment. Currently, we are developing a dual-layer sensor to expand the operating frequency range from 100 MHz to several GHz, while also improving system accuracy for future practical testing,” he explained.
BRIN Develops Patch Antenna-Based Metasurface for Broader Practical Applications
Meanwhile, Erik Madyo Putro from BRIN’s Electronics Research Center presented further developments from his dissertation, focusing on the application of metasurfaces, particularly in the field of electromagnetic energy.
“We developed a patch antenna design that significantly simplifies the manufacturing process of signal scanning devices. Conventional systems typically require complex and costly vertical interconnections known as vias. Our design enables direct voltage sensing without additional vias while maintaining exceptionally high performance,” Erik said.
The resistor-based voltage mapping system reconstructs highly detailed two-dimensional images of RF field distributions with remarkable sensitivity to wave polarization and the angle of arrival of radio waves. Physical characterization and testing results demonstrated strong consistency with theoretical predictions of electromagnetic wave behavior.
“Simulation results show that this metasurface can not only reconstruct electromagnetic field distributions but also detect polarization and wave incident angles. This opens broader possibilities for practical applications, such as identifying electromagnetic wave leakage from enclosed electronic devices,” he added.
Color map visualizations and animations further demonstrated that the metasurface sensor can accurately identify leakage points. Overall, the study confirms that patch antenna-based metasurfaces hold significant potential for a wide range of applications, including RF imaging, antenna diagnostics, leakage detection, and wave direction sensing systems. The technology is also highly promising for Direction-of-Arrival (DoA) sensing, enabling more accurate detection of incoming signal directions.
Conclusion
The development of metasurface technology by BRIN and its international research collaborators marks a significant step toward next-generation electromagnetic sensing systems. With capabilities such as real-time RF field imaging, high-precision leakage detection, antenna diagnostics, and Direction-of-Arrival sensing, metasurface-based innovations are expected to support the advancement of smarter, more compact, and efficient electronic and wireless communication technologies.
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