Physically Realizable Broadband Acoustic Metamaterials with Anisotropic Density

Transformation acoustics are concentrated for the purpose of designing novel acoustic devices to tailor acoustic waves to achieve desirable characteristics. However, these devices require fluid or fluid-like materials with an anisotropic density that generally does not exist in nature. Therefore, we introduce pentamode metamaterials into an alternating multilayer isotropic medium model to build fluid-like metamaterials with an anisotropic density. A 2D acoustic bending based on transformation acoustics is established and investigated to verify our method. This idea provides a method to design broadband and physically realizable acoustic metamaterials with an anisotropic density and is meaningful for the design of acoustic metamaterials.     

Acoustic scattering from a submerged cylindrical shell coated with locally resonant acoustic metamaterials

Using the multilayered cylinder model, we study acoustic scattering from a submerged cylindrical shell coated with locally resonant acoustic metamaterials, which exhibit locally negative effective mass densities. A spring model is introduced to replace the traditional transfer matrix, which may be singular in the negative mass region. The backscattering form function and the scattering cross section are calculated to discuss the acoustic properties of the coated submerged cylindrical shell.     

Enhanced scattering of acoustic waves at interfaces

We propose a general method to realize a total scattering of an incident acoustic wave at interfaces between different media while allowing the flow of air, fluids and/or particles. This originates from the enlargement of the equivalent acoustic scattering cross section of an embedded object coated with acoustic metamaterials, which causes the coated object to behave as a scatterer bigger than its physical size. We theoretically design a model circular cylindrical object coated with such metamaterials whose properties are determined according to two different, but identical, methods. The desired function is confirmed for both far-field and near-field cases with full wave simulations based on the finite element method. This work reveals a promising way to achieve noise shielding and naval camouflage.     

基于声学超材料的低频可调吸收器

在当今社会,噪声污染已经成为人类健康的一大威胁,如何有效地控制和消除噪声污染一直是科研领域的一个重要话题.本文以开口环嵌套结构为模型,设计并制备了一种声学超材料.通过理论分析、数值模拟和实验测试,发现由于模型内部空腔的强烈耦合共振效应,该超材料可以在低频区域实现接近完美的吸声效应.此外,通过简单地绕轴旋转其内腔开口方向,即可改变该超材料的相对阻抗值,进而在较宽的频带范围内实现对吸收峰位置的可调控制.由于该超材料具有深亚波长的尺寸,因此非常有利于低频吸声器件的小型化和集成化,同时该模型也为宽带吸收器的设计奠定了基础.     

Theoretical investigation of the sound attenuation of membrane-type acoustic metamaterials

Membrane-type acoustic metamaterials have been recently shown to exhibit good performance of sound attenuation in a low frequency range. An analytical approach for the fast calculation of sound transmission loss of the membrane-type acoustic metamaterials is presented here. The discussion indicate that the first transmission loss valley and the transmission loss peak depend strongly on the attaching mass, while the second transmission loss valley is mainly influenced by the membrane properties. The effects of membrane tension and mass position on the transmission loss and characteristic frequencies are also discussed in detail.     

Side branch-based acoustic metamaterials with a broad-band negative bulk modulus

We present theoretical investigations and numerical simulations of one-dimensional (1-D) acoustic metamaterials that exhibit wide negative bulk modulus bands down to zero. The metamaterials consist of double or quadruple branch openings in a 1-D waveguide. A lumped model is developed for theoretical analysis and the bandwidths of negative bulk modulus for different structures are calculated and compared. As much as 100 % increase over the traditional single branch opening structure in bandwidth can be achieved. The proposed metamaterials can be utilized to further achieve double negativity, which could facilitate applications such as acoustic cloaking and superlensing.     

Acoustic absorbers at low frequency based on split-tube metamaterials

The remarkable properties of acoustic metamaterials have attracted massive researches and applications, especially on low-frequency sound absorptions. Currently, most of the acoustic metamaterial absorbers employ resonances in plastic cavities, and their structural strengths are important in many circumstances, especially in harsh environment. However, studies of metamaterials including this point are very scarce. Here, we propose an acoustic metamaterial for low-frequency (<500 Hz) absorptions, composed of three nested square split tubes with inverted opening directions. The efficiency of the absorber is investigated both numerically and experimentally, and absorptions at the peeks are found to exceed 90% and the frequency can be effectively adjusted by tuning its geometric parameters. We further test its yield strength under compression and confirm its buckling behavior happens from the outmost layer. This tunable acoustic metamaterial with a fairly good mechanical strength may lead to broad applications in noise reduction.     

Double-negative dynamic properties in one-dimensional multi-phase metamaterial based on the symmetrical equivalent layer

Acoustic metamaterials have important potential applications in engineering by their unusual properties. Based on the concept of symmetrical equivalent layer, it is found that layered acoustic metamaterial which exhibits simultaneously negative effective modulus and density can be existed. By using the transfer matrix method, the continuous double-negative dynamic properties can be achieved through a multi-phase microstructure considering viscous damping, and the left-handed wave propagation property appears during the double-negative frequency regions. This will be a reference for the design of 1D acoustic negative refraction metamaterials.     

经典局域共振型水声超材料的吸隔声性能研究*

基于水声超材料吸声机理和多层平行介质平面波理论,建立局域共振型水声超材料结构,通过COMSOL进行建模计算,研究该结构的吸声性能机理,此外为了验证钢背衬的隔声性能,在该水声超材料结构基础上添加一层0.005m厚的钢背衬进行仿真对比。研究结果表明,在频段为200Hz-4000Hz时,水声超材料声学性能较好,吸声性能整体较优,且添加钢背衬的水声超材料隔声性能较优,甚至在某频率点达到15dB的隔声差值;此外通过位移场图进一步揭示水声超材料的吸声机理,发现水声超材料结构的位移场和钢背衬都对吸声性能会产生影响,钢背衬通过影响共振吸收来影响吸声性能,而位移场则通过位移幅度大小影响吸声性能。     

Theoretical model and analytical approach for a circular membrane–ring structure of locally resonant acoustic metamaterial

Recently developed locally resonant acoustic metamaterials (LRAM) display useful sound attenuation properties over narrow frequency bands. In this study, we present a theoretical model and analytical approach to investigate transmission loss of a circular membrane–ring structure of LRAM. As a degeneration of the ring inner radius being zero, the present model and approach is also suited for acoustic response analysis of the membrane–central-mass structure. Analytical results are compared with the ones from the finite element method to show a quite good agreement. The transmission loss characteristics dependence on the material and geometrical properties of the membrane–ring structure are obtained and discussed. It is indicated that multi-peak transmission loss profile can occur in the membrane–ring structure of LRAM, while the peak transmission loss frequency and bandwidth can be tuned by varying the ring mass location, surface density and ring numbers on the membrane.     

Compressibility-near-zero acoustic metamaterial

This letter theoretically analyzes and experimentally demonstrates a novel class of compressibility-near-zero (CNZ) acoustic metamaterials, achieved by using resonant-type metamaterials, namely the Helmholtz resonator. We first present a closed analytical formula for the effective compressibility of the proposed unit cell and then show that two frequencies exist which may support CNZ propagation. We demonstrate how the choice of the actual operating CNZ frequency depends on the properties of the host and finally experimentally verify CNZ propagation of acoustic waves.     

基于遗传算法的五模材料分层优化*

由于超材料的微结构尺度不能忽略,利用超材料微结构所集成的器件等效参数不是连续分布的,而是呈离散分布的。因此在利用超材料设计声学器件的过程中,需要对器件进行分层离散化,而分层方案的选取往往会影响器件的工作效果。该文基于五模材料水下隐身衣的设计理论,提出了一种基于遗传算法的五模材料隐身衣分层优化策略,并分别对优化前和优化后的分层隐身衣做了声学仿真。仿真结果表明采用优化策略后,隐身衣背景声场的散射能量和反射能量均有大幅度降低,并且对窄带探测信号和宽带探测信号均有较好的隐身效果,因此该分层优化策略能够显著提升隐身衣的隐身效果。该文所提出的分层优化策略为提升五模材料隐身衣性能提供了理论支持,并可以进一步推广至其他超材料器件的微结构设计中。     

Design of an acoustic bending waveguide with acoustic metamaterials via transformation acoustics

Transformation acoustics is employed to design an acoustic bending waveguide. A two-dimensional square area with anisotropic and homogeneous material properties is transformed into a fan-shaped area with anisotropic and inhomogeneous material properties to rotate the direction of beam propagation. An alternating layered structure is considered to approximate a medium with anisotropic material properties. From the calculation results, the transformation medium can be realized by an alternating layered structure consisting of water and fluid with negative mass density. We propose that an acoustic metamaterial composed of three layers in water background can be designed to replace negative mass density fluid. The effective mass density and bulk modulus of the system that is composed of the acoustic metamaterial and water are dependent on the incident frequency and the geometric size of the acoustic metamaterial. We tune the geometric size of the acoustic metamaterial to approach the corresponding mass density distribution of the negative mass density fluid at a specific frequency. Thereby, the acoustic bending waveguide designed by using transformation acoustics can be achieved by the acoustic metamaterials.     

Effective parameters and energy of acoustic metamaterials and media

An approach is proposed to describe a general form of acoustic media, in particular, acoustic metamaterials, based on their modeling with the simplest discrete periodic structures. The parameters of the discrete models, determined from the dispersion equation, are taken as the effective parameters of the modeled media. Transfer to an effective continuous medium is achieved by uniform distribution of these parameters over the length of the periodicity cell. It is shown that all of the wave motion characteristics of the medium, including the energy characteristics, are expressed through the effective parameters thus introduced. The necessary formulas are derived. Examples are given. The proposed method is useful for designing acoustic materials with the given wave properties.     

Oxides of 3d transition metals as sources for electromagnetic and acoustic metamaterials

A brief review of studies performed by the authors to determine the conditions under which antiferromagnetic media display dynamic properties similar to those of certain types of electromagnetic and acoustic metamaterials is presented.     

Double topological edge states investigation in sonic metamaterials

We investigate the topologically protected sound propagation in sonic metamaterials, analogous to quantum spin hall effect (QSHE). The sonic metamaterials consist of circular rods and meta-molecules arranged in air with a honeycomb-lattice. The on-demand inversion in topological phase can be achieved by two ways of scatterer controls at locally resonant frequency and Bragg frequency. The Helmholtz resonators in the structure are contributed to the formation of subwavelength double Dirac cones which are more likely to appear due to local resonance enhancement with more number of resonators. By combining two sonic metamaterials with different topological invariants, we demonstrate the robust sound propagation and pseudospin-dependent one-way acoustic propagation at the interface. Experimental measurement of the topologically protected acoustic wave transmission matches well with the simulation result.     

Anisotropic mass density by radially periodic fluid structures

This Letter reports physical realization of acoustic metamaterials with anisotropic mass density. These metamaterials consist of a superlattice of two fluidlike components radially periodic. Several structures are spectroscopically characterized at large wavelengths (homogenization limit) by studying the acoustic resonances existing in the circular cavity where they are embedded. This characterization method allows us to extract the diagonal components of the sound speed tensor. Analytical expressions describing the anisotropic behavior as a function of the corrugation parameter are also developed and their predictions are in agreement with measurements.     

膨胀腔类超材料的传递损失研究*

声学超材料及结构已被广泛研究,其超结构通常利用3D打印技术实现,当结构刚度较小或者面积较大时,由声固耦合所导致的声学效果与设计不符的情况广泛存在。本文针对含有膨胀腔类的超材料,研究了声固耦合对其声学性能的影响,采用有限元计算结合阻抗管实验的方法,得到其传递损失,分析了声固耦合现象对传递损失的影响。结果表明：薄壁膨胀腔结构的作用频率范围与只考虑声学理论计算的设计不符,声固耦合现象对传递损失产生显著影响;采用增加膨胀腔壁厚、减少膨胀腔内径或选择金属材料的方式,都可以使得声固耦合现象对传递损失的影响减小;仿真结果与实验结果基本吻合。该研究结果说明：对于膨胀腔类超材料,当刚度较小或者面积较大时,对其进行声固耦合分析是完全必要的。     

Wide bandwidth acoustic transmission via coiled-up metamaterial with impedance matching layers

Many acoustic metamaterials suffer from a narrow bandwidth transmission because of the impedance mismatch at the airmetamaterial interface. In this paper, a two-dimensional impedance-matched metamaterial with broadband transmission performance is investigated. The impedance matching layer is introduced for a gradient variation of effective impedance from the inlet of the unit to the outlet. The effective medium theory and corresponding effective model are used to explain the underlying mechanism. The improved energy transmission of our designs is demonstrated by experiment and numerical simulation within a broad frequency bandwidth over 6 kHz. Our impedance-matched design can be used to enhance sound absorption, which is expected to present improved acoustic performance in the applications of acoustic damper and muffler.