ABSTRACT The revolutionary breakthrough of information metasurfaces lies in their deep integration of physical and information spaces, enabling simultaneous electromagnetic wave manipulation and digital information processing. However, most research focuses solely on temporal and spatial dimensions, facing challenges including underutilized spectral resources, complex electrical control systems, and difficulties in extending operations to terahertz and optical bands. To overcome these limitations, we propose an active light‐controlled frequency coding metasurface that breaks through existing constraints in frequency‐domain freedom manipulation. We develop a multifunctional terahertz active frequency coding unit dynamically reconfigured by spatially encoded structured light, which modulates the conductivity of photosensitive semiconductors on the metasurface through structural light encoding. This enables programmable control over the phase‐frequency sensitivity of individual units, achieving dynamic reconfiguration of frequency coding functionalities. Furthermore, we introduce a software‐defined terahertz beam control system for information metasurface applications. Its three‐tier “Decision‐Optimization‐Execution” architecture establishes a closed‐loop workflow from user intent to physical response. The hardware layer synergistically integrates frequency coding metasurfaces with spatially encoded structured light, providing robust physical support for complex beam manipulation demands and demonstrating innovative hardware–software co‐design. This work opens new avenues for intelligent beamforming in the terahertz regime and spectral efficiency optimization for 6G communications.
Zhao et al. (Sun,) studied this question.