Secrecy Performance in RIS-enabled Near-field mmWave Communication

Wireless Networking Group

Deadline for receipt of applications: August 30, 2025 23:59 AoE (31 August 2025, 13:59h Europe/Madrid Time)

MSc Internship Opportunity

Topic: Secrecy performance analysis in RIS-enabled near-field mmWave communication

Wireless Networking Group – IMDEA Networks Institute

Are you a Master’s student passionate about wireless communication, signal processing, or physical layer security? We invite applications for an exciting MSc internship focused on secrecy performance in RIS-enabled near-field mmWave communication.

About the Internship

You will join our active research team to investigate physical layer security in scenarios where signals reach the receiver both directly (far-field, planar wave) and via a near-field RIS-reflected path (spherical wave), as shown in Figure 1. The goal is to analyze how spherical wavefronts, enabled by RIS, offer enhanced security features against eavesdropping—thanks to their spatial focus, rapid attenuation, and channel complexit.

Figure 1: RIS-enabled communication: UE is in the far-field of BS but in the near-field of the RIS

Key Concepts You will Explore

• Near-field vs. Far-field Signal Propagation
  • Planar waves from base stations (far-field)
  • Spherical waves reflected from RIS (near-field)
• Beamforming & Signal Combination
  • Aligning phases of planar and spherical waves
  • Scaling amplitudes and managing non-linear phase variations
• Physical Layer Security Enhancements
  • Increased spatial selectivity and directionality
  • Reduced signal leakage and power at eavesdropper
  • Artificial noise injection and adaptive RIS control
• RIS Configuration
  • Reflecting phase design for generating spherical wavefronts
  • Dynamic adaptation using perfect, imperfect, and outdated CSI

Why This Matters

Near-field RIS-assisted systems offer stronger security by:

• Focusing energy on the legitimate user
• Minimizing interception chances for nearby eavesdroppers
• Leveraging complex wavefront shaping to make unauthorized access extremely difficult

Who Should Apply

We are looking for motivated MSc students with:

• Background in wireless communications, signal processing, or related fields
• Interest in mmWave systems, RIS, or physical layer security
• Willingness to learn and contribute to ongoing research
• Enrollment in MSc degree in Europe in electrical engineering, telecommunication engineering or equivalent disciplines