Advanced New Physical Layer Technologies for Next-Generation Wireless Communications

Dear Colleagues,

Next-generation wireless communication networks, notably 6G, will be expected to provide global convergence and connectivity, enhanced spectral/energy/cost efficiency, extremely high reliability and low latency, better intelligence levels and security, etc. These demanding performance requirements cannot be achieved by existing 5G technologies, thus motivating the need to develop revolutionary technologies and new network paradigms for future 6G networks.

Among other solutions, new physical layer technologies are essential to meet these requirements, including new waveforms, multiple access approaches, channel coding methods, multiple access, multi-antenna technologies, and so on, which lay the foundations for efficient signal transmission and reception. To realize the all-time, all-domain, and all-space communications of 6G networks, new physical layer technologies have an ambitious goal to boost next-generation network performance in broader frequency bands, diverse applications, and new systems and networks, which will enable a communication paradigm shift from conventional terrestrial-only networks to new integrated space–air–ground networks. However, realizing the full potential of new physical layer technologies in practical communication scenarios is highly challenging, and many important open problems remain unsolved.

This Special Issue (SI) seeks novel contributions from researchers that explore new physical layer technologies, innovations, and applications for next-generation wireless communications. We are collecting high-quality original research papers on related topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• Classical information theory.
• Multiuser information theory and multiple access technologies.
• Electromagnetic information theory.
• Channel coding, modulation, and waveform design.
• Semantic information theory and semantic-aware transceiver designs.
• Signal detection and channel estimation.
• Uses in combination with reconfigurable intelligent surfaces.
• Native-AI empowered architectures.
• Integrated sensing and communication.

Prof. Dr. Lei Liu
Dr. Zhijin Qin
Prof. Dr. Chongwen Huang
Dr. Yuhao Chi
Dr. Yang Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Entropy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• information theory
• channel codes
• multiuser detection
• holographic MIMO
• channel capacity
• electromagnetic field
• semantic communication
• deep learning
• reconfigurable intelligent surface
• integrated sensing and communication