Assembling hydrodynamic cloaks to conceal complex objects from drag

Transformation hydrodynamics and the corresponding metamaterials have been proposed as a means to exclude the drag force acting on an object. Here, we report a strategy to deploy the hydrodynamic cloaks in a more practical manner by assembling different-shaped cloaking parts. Our strategy is to first model a square-shaped cloak and a carpet cloak and then combine them to conceal a more complex-shaped space in the three-dimensional hydrodynamic flow. With the derivation of transformation hydrodynamics, the coordinate transformations for each hydrodynamic cloaking are demonstrated with the calculated viscosity tensors. The pressure and velocity fields of the square, triangular (carpet), and exemplary three-dimensional house-shaped cloaks are numerically simulated, thus showing a cloaking effect and reduced drag. This study suggests an efficient way of cloaking complex architectures from fluid-dynamic forces.     

Effective medium representation and complex modes in 3D periodic metamaterials made of cubic resonators with large permittivity at mid-infrared frequencies

We review some of the techniques that lead to the effective medium representation of a three-dimensional (3D) periodic metamaterial. We consider a 3D lattice of lead telluride cubic resonators at mid-infrared (MIR) frequencies. Each cubic resonator is modeled with both an electric and a magnetic dipole, through a method called the dual dipole approximation. The electric and magnetic polarizabilities of a cubic resonator are computed via full-wave simulations by mapping the resonator's scattered field under electric/magnetic excitation only to the field radiated by an equivalent electric/magnetic dipole. We then analyze the allowed modes in the lattice, with transverse polarization and complex wavenumber, highlighting the attenuation that each mode experiences after one free space wavelength. We observe the presence of two modes with low attenuation constant, dominant in different frequency ranges, able to propagate inside the lattice: this allows the treatment of the metamaterial as a homogeneous material with effective parameters, evaluated by using various techniques. We then show that the metamaterial under analysis allows for the generation of artificial magnetism (i.e., relative effective permeability different than unity, including negative permeability with low losses) at MIR frequencies.     

基于超材料结构实现5.8GHz RFID天线小型化设计

设计出一款可应用于RFID（Radio Frequency Identification）系统的5.8GHz传统矩形微带天线,天线辐射贴片尺寸为15.74mm×11.12mm,天线的回波损耗（S11）的实测结果为-23.276dB。此后,在矩形微带天线基础上进行设计改进,通过分别蚀刻15个超材料结构I型谐振环和6个超材料结构开口谐振环(Split Resonant Ring, SRR),构造出两款新型小型化天线。与传统矩形天线相比,在保持方向性、最大增益等参数性能基本不变的条件下,基于超材料结构的天线辐射贴片尺寸分别为12.44mm×9.12mm 和11.74mm×9.1mm,相比传统矩形天线分别缩小了35.2%和41.82%,辐射贴片小型化效果明显,其回波损耗实测结果分别为-21.83dB 和-15.40dB。     

Tunable dual-band liquid crystal based near-infrared perfect metamaterial absorber with high-loss metal

ABSTRACT

In this work, a tunable dual-band near-infrared perfect metamaterial absorber formed by combining a highly birefringent nematic liquid crystal with a nanoscale metamaterial cavity arranged in mirror symmetry is designed and numerically investigated. Electromagnetic simulations indicate that the absorbance greater than 99.4% may be achieved at 328 THz and 364 THz. Perfect absorbance results both form the use of highly lossy metal and the optimization of the metamaterial structure. In addition, absorbance of the metamaterial device can be substantially tuned both in terms of its magnitude and wavelength with the spectral tunability up to 8 THz by switching of liquid crystal alignment. The soft-matter-based metamaterial absorbers may pave a crucial role towards various active multifunctional systems working in the near-infrared range.     

Self-trapped dynamics of a hollow Gaussian beam in metamaterials

We present a systematic investigation on the dynamics of a hollow Gaussian beam (HGB) in metamaterials. We predict self-trapped propagation of HGBs and evolution of the beam is highly influenced by dimensionless dispersion coefficient (κ), which determines the strength of dispersion over diffraction. The evolutions of HGBs such as disappearance of single ringed intensity pattern and appearance of patterns with a central bright spot are achievable with less propagation distance in metamaterials with higher values of κ. On the other hand, metamaterials with low values of κ can preserve single ring intensity distribution over a long propagation distance without focusing. When the strength of dispersion over diffraction increases, it significantly influences the evolution of the beam and may lead to the formation of tightly focussed beam with high peak intensity at the center. The phenomenon of tight focussing is found to have some applications in trapping of nanosized particles.     

Dual-band isotropic metamaterial absorber based on near-field interaction in the Ku band

We numerically and experimentally investigate single-band and dual-band isotropic metamaterial absorbers (IMAs) based on metallic disks. By optimizing the diameter of the metallic disks and the thickness of the dielectric substrate, the single-band IMA is observed at 16.2 GHz with absorptivity of 97%. When adding one disk-pair to the structure, the dual-band IMA is obtained at 12.8 and 15.5 GHz due to the symmetry breaking. The physical mechanics is explained by near-field coupling effect and equivalent LC circuit model. The measurement results performed in the range 12–18 GHz show a good agreement with simulation and theoretical analysis. Our findings demonstrate a new approach to achieve dual-band and multi-band IMAs.     

Photonic gap vanishing in one-dimensional photonic crystals with single-negative metamaterials

The properties of photonic band gap in one-dimensional photonic crystals composed of single-negative metamaterials are studied theoretically. Our study shows that the photonic gap will vanish at a certain incident angle when both the phase-match and impedance-match conditions are satisfied simultaneously, suggesting that the bandwidth and location of the photonic gap are strongly dependent on the incident angle and polarization. However, the photonic gap will not vanish and may become insensitive to the incident angle when the two match conditions cannot be met. Our study also shows that losses in metamaterials have little effect on the properties of the photonic gap.     

Magnetic monopole-like response in metamaterials

In this paper, we explored magnetic monopole-like responses in metamaterials. We designed a sub-wavelength metamolecule that is composed of two dielectric-spaced split-ring resonators. In response to incident waves, the induced magnetic field in the metamolecule resembles that of a two-dimensional magnetic monopole. The magnetic monopole-like response is resulted from electric resonance of the metamolecule, so an electric dipole is always attached. By combining two mirror-symmetric metamolecules with inward and outward radial magnetic fields, magnetic dipole-like responses can be produced just as an electric dipole is formed by separating two opposite-signed electric charges.     

Triple negative permeability band in plasmon-hybridized cut-wire-pair metamaterials

We expand the picture of plasmon hybridization in metamagnetic structure via numerically studying the electromagnetic coupling in the metallic cut-wire-pair super cells. It is shown that a triple negative permeability band can be achieved by systematically controlling the plasmon hybridization in such the structure. The corresponding transmission properties as well as the electromagnetic responses of the plasmon-hybridized structures were presented by using the finite integration technique simulations. Our results would reveal a promising design to obtain the multiple negative refractions based on the combination of hybridized cut-wire-pairs and continuous wires.     

Design of electromagnetic cloaks and concentrators using form-invariant coordinate transformations of Maxwell’s equations

The technique of applying form-invariant, spatial coordinate transformations of Maxwell’s equations can facilitate the design of structures with unique electromagnetic or optical functionality. Here, we illustrate the transformation-optical approach in the designs of a square electromagnetic cloak and an omni-directional electromagnetic field concentrator. The transformation equations are described and the functionality of the devices is numerically confirmed by two-dimensional finite element simulations. The two devices presented demonstrate that the transformation optic approach leads to the specification of complex, anisotropic and inhomogeneous materials with well directed and distinct electromagnetic behavior.