# Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces: Physics, Propagation, and Pathloss Modeling

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1911.03359 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.03359/

## Key facts

- Cited by 9 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 7 Oct 2019.

## Built on by (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- [RadioDiff-Flux: Efficient Radio Map Construction via Generative Denoise Diffusion Model Trajectory Midpoint Reuse](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.02790/) (2026)
- [Decision Transformers for RIS-Assisted Systems with Diffusion Model-Based Channel Acquisition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.08007/) (2025)
- [Channel Estimation and Hybrid Architectures for RIS-Assisted Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.07115/) (2021)
- [Collaborative Intelligent Reflecting Surface Networks with Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.14152/) (2022)
- [Making Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces More Intelligent: A Roadmap Through Reservoir Computing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.03688/) (2021)
- [Explainable Adversarial Learning Framework on Physical Layer Secret Keys Combating Malicious Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.06663/) (2024)
- [Two-Timescale Joint Transmit and Pinching Beamforming for Pinching-Antenna Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.16099/) (2025)
- [A Particle-Swarm-Assisted Gradient Meta-Learning Algorithm for Joint Transmit Precoding and STAR-RIS Coefficient Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.29150/) (2026)
- [RAOA: Alternating-Operator Neural Computation with Programmable Radio Propagation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.02683/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Intelligent reflecting surfaces can improve the communication between a source and a destination. The surface contains metamaterial that is configured to "reflect" the incident wave from the source towards the destination. Two incompatible pathloss models have been used in prior work. In this letter, we derive the far-field pathloss using physical optics techniques and explain why the surface consists of many elements that individually act as diffuse scatterers but can jointly beamform the signal in a desired direction with a certain beamwidth. We disprove one of the previously conjectured pathloss models.