2026 VTS Hybrid Distinguished Lecture: Twisted Signals for ISAC via OAM Vortex Beams

Electromagnetic waves are characterized by their amplitude, frequency, and state of polarization — also referred to as spin angular momentum (SAM), associated with circular polarization and recognized for over two centuries. In contrast, over the past three decades, growing attention has been directed toward orbital angular momentum (OAM), which arises from helical (twisted) phase fronts and provides an additional degree of freedom through its orthogonal modal structure. In this talk, we explore the use of OAM for integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), with the goal of enhancing spectral efficiency and spatial resolution in automotive scenarios. Unlike conventional uniform circular array (UCA)-based implementations, our approach employs a uniform linear array (ULA) with traveling-wave antennas to synthesize multiple Laguerre-Gaussian vortex beams. The proposed system embeds communication data within radar waveforms while enabling joint estimation of target position and velocity using radar-only frames. An OAM-based mode-division multiplexing strategy is used to separate sensing and communication functionalities, ensuring reliable parameter recovery. We conclude with perspectives on the future of ISAC systems.
Speaker(s): Dr. Mishra
Agenda:
4:30-5:30 PM Lecture and Q&A
Room: Seminar Room B , Bldg: San Diego Mission Valley Branch Library, 1F, 2123 Fenton Pkwy, San Diego, California, United States, 92108, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/562094