Physical reconfigurable intelligent metasurface

Abstract

The invention provides a physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface, the intelligent metasurface is composed of a plurality of intelligent metasurface units capable of being assembled, a unit attachment plate and an assembly auxiliary material, each independent intelligent metasurface unit capable of being assembled has different or same electromagnetic characteristics, and the unit attachment plate is used for attaching the unit attachment plate to the assembly auxiliary material. The unit attachment plate provides physical support and an electromagnetic datum plane for the intelligent super-surface unit capable of being assembled, and the assembling auxiliary materials comprise various materials and devices such as magnets and mucilage glue which are used for assisting the intelligent super-surface unit capable of being assembled to dynamically assemble and array on the unit attachment plate. By changing the arrangement mode of the intelligent metasurface units capable of being assembled on the unit attachment plate, reconstruction and function switching of the intelligent metasurface can be achieved, and compared with a traditional intelligent metasurface reconstruction scheme achieved through electric control, the intelligent metasurface reconstruction method has the advantages that the intelligent metasurface reconstruction efficiency is improved; according to the method, the reconstruction cost of the intelligent metasurface in any physical form is remarkably reduced by utilizing a dynamic array forming mode of the intelligent metasurface units capable of being assembled, and the method has wide application prospects and practical value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of novel artificial electromagnetic materials, and particularly relates to a physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface. Background Art

[0002] As a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of electromagnetic wavefront regulation, the technology of reconfigurable electromagnetic metasurfaces has experienced an important leap from static geometric design to dynamic intelligent regulation in its development process. Early research mainly focused on achieving fixed electromagnetic responses through unit structure optimization. It was not until 2014 that the team of Cui Tiejun from Southeast University pioneered the digital coding metamaterial theory system, and for the first time introduced the concept of discrete mathematics coding into metasurface design. This theory quantifies the electromagnetic phase response of metasurface units into binary or multi - ary coding states, and realizes the dynamic switching of coding states with the help of semiconductor devices such as PIN diodes and varactor diodes, successfully constructing an intelligent metasurface system with both programmable electromagnetic characteristics and beam real - time regulation capabilities. By designing specific coding sequence distributions (such as periodic arrangements, gradient phase distributions, etc.), such technologies have shown unique advantages in fields such as beamforming and wireless channel regulation, promoting the leap - forward development of metasurface technology from laboratory research to engineering applications.

[0003] However, there are still core bottlenecks in the existing technical system that need to be urgently broken through. On the one hand, in the active reconfigurable scheme, the large - scale integration of semiconductor switch devices leads to an exponential increase in the complexity of the unit structure, and the comprehensive cost of a single functional unit often reaches dozens of times that of traditional static designs, severely restricting its application and promotion in low - cost scenarios. At the same time, the problem of resonant frequency drift caused by parasitic effects in the high - frequency working state makes there be a systematic deviation between the actual electromagnetic response and the theoretical design value, which is particularly disadvantageous for application scenarios with strict phase accuracy requirements such as the millimeter - wave band. On the other hand, although non - electrically tunable static metasurfaces have advantages such as low manufacturing cost and mature processing technology, their electromagnetic characteristics are solidified after manufacturing and cannot meet the core requirements of modern wireless systems for dynamic environment adaptability and multi - functional on - demand switching. The contradiction between high - cost dynamic tunability and low - cost static solidification has become a prominent technical barrier restricting the large - scale engineering application of intelligent metasurface technology. Against this background, developing a new reconfigurable mechanism to achieve low - cost dynamic regulation has become the core proposition jointly concerned by the academic community and the industrial community. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to solve the contradiction between high-cost dynamic tunability and low-cost static curing in the current development of intelligent metasurfaces. By means of physical reconfiguration, the production cost of intelligent metasurfaces brought about by the electrically controlled reconfiguration method is reduced. At the same time, the defect of the fixed electromagnetic characteristics of traditional static non-tunable electromagnetic metasurfaces is also solved, so as to realize the design and manufacture of intelligent metasurfaces with arbitrarily physically reconfigurable forms at low cost, and provide a physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface;

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: a physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface, characterized in that it includes: a plurality of independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface units with different or the same electromagnetic characteristics, a unit attachment plate, and assembly auxiliary materials;

[0006] A plurality of the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface units are arranged on the surface of the unit attachment plate according to an arrangement and splicing pattern, and each of the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface units is connected to the surface of the unit attachment plate through the assembly auxiliary materials.

[0007] Further, the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface unit includes: a reflective intelligent metasurface unit;

[0008] The reflective intelligent metasurface unit includes: a dielectric substrate, a metal pattern, and a metal backplane ground;

[0009] The dielectric substrate is disposed on the upper surface of the metal backplane ground, and the metal pattern is disposed on the upper surface of the dielectric substrate;

[0010] The reflective intelligent metasurface unit changes the electromagnetic characteristics of the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface unit by adjusting the side length of the dielectric substrate, the side length of the metal pattern, and the shape of the metal pattern.

[0011] Further, the assembly auxiliary materials include a second magnet sheet and an adhesive or a plug and an adhesive;

[0012] When the assembly auxiliary materials are a second magnet sheet and an adhesive, one side of the second magnet sheet is adhered to the surface of the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface unit through the adhesive, and the other side is adsorbed on one side of the unit attachment plate;

[0013] When the assembly auxiliary materials are a plug and an adhesive, one side of the plug is adhered to the surface of the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface unit through the adhesive, and the other side is inserted into one side of the unit attachment plate.

[0014] Further, when the assembly auxiliary materials are a second magnet sheet and an adhesive, a magnetic layer or a plurality of first magnet sheets are provided on one side of the unit attachment plate for adsorbing the independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface unit on its surface;

[0015] When the assembly auxiliary materials are insertion pieces and adhesive glue, a plurality of slots are formed on one side of the unit attachment plate for plugging the independently assembled intelligent metasurface units on its surface.

[0016] Further, the arrangement and splicing mode is periodic repeated alternating arrangement, random arrangement or specific arrangement according to theoretical calculated values.

[0017] Beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. The present invention solves the defect of the fixed electromagnetic characteristics of the traditional non-electrically tunable metasurface. By arranging and arraying the assembled intelligent metasurface units on the unit attachment plate in different arrangement and arraying modes, arbitrary physical form reconstruction and function switching of the intelligent metasurface can be realized. For example, arranging and arraying all with one kind of assembled intelligent metasurface unit can generate a forward-emitted electromagnetic wave reflection / transmission single beam; arranging four types of assembled intelligent metasurface units in an alternating arrangement according to an equal phase gradient can generate a single deflection electromagnetic wave reflection / transmission beam.

[0019] 2. Compared with the existing electrically tunable and reconfigurable intelligent metasurface, the present invention has the advantages of flexible physical form, low cost, simple production and convenient processing.

[0020] 3. The physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface designed by the present invention can be periodically expanded. At the same time, due to the diverse arrangement and arraying modes, the metasurface structure is flexible and variable, and it is easy to realize mass production for applications. Description of the drawings

[0021] Figure 1 is a 2-bit reflective assembled intelligent metasurface unit in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a 2-bit reflective assembled intelligent metasurface and its assembly method in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 is a reflection amplitude response curve graph of the 2-bit reflective assembled intelligent metasurface unit in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 is a phase response curve graph of the 2-bit reflective assembled intelligent metasurface unit in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 is the simulation result of the "00112233" array of the 2-bit reflective assembled intelligent metasurface in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] In the figure: 1. The first type of reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit; 2. The second type of reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit; 3. The third type of reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit; 4. The fourth type of reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit; 100. Dielectric substrate; 101. Metal backplane ground; 102. First square metal pattern; 103. Second square metal pattern; 104. Third square metal pattern; 105. Fourth square metal pattern; 201. First magnet sheet; 202. Second magnet sheet. Detailed implementation mode

[0027] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The present invention provides a physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface, including: a plurality of independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface units with different or the same electromagnetic characteristics, a unit attachment plate 200, and assembly auxiliary materials.

[0029] A plurality of independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface units are arranged on the surface of the unit attachment plate 200 according to an arrangement and splicing mode, and each independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit is connected to the surface of the unit attachment plate 200 through the assembly auxiliary materials.

[0030] Among them, the unit attachment plate provides physical support and an electromagnetic reference plane for the independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface units, and the assembly auxiliary materials are used to realize the dynamic assembly and array of the reconfigurable intelligent metasurface units on the unit attachment plate.

[0031] The present invention realizes the physical reconfiguration and function switching of the intelligent metasurface by changing the arrangement and array mode of the independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface units on the unit attachment plate.

[0032] Each of the above-mentioned independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface units is connected to the surface of the unit attachment plate 200 through the assembly auxiliary materials, and there are two options.

[0033] The first option: The assembly auxiliary materials include a plurality of second magnet sheets 202 and an adhesive. One side of the second magnet sheet 202 is adhered to the surface of the metal backplane ground 101 of the independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit through the adhesive, and the other side is adsorbed on the first magnet sheet 201 or the magnetic layer on one side of the unit attachment plate 200.

[0034] The second option: The assembly auxiliary materials include a plurality of inserts and an adhesive. One side of the insert is adhered to the surface of the metal backplane ground 101 of the independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit through the adhesive, and the other side is inserted into the slot on one side of the unit attachment plate 200.

[0035] In addition, each independent reconfigurable intelligent metasurface unit is pasted on the surface of the unit attachment plate 200 through the assembly auxiliary materials.

[0036] Taking the independent and assembled intelligent metasurface unit as the reflective intelligent metasurface unit and using the first selection as an example, the specific embodiments are described as follows:

[0037] As Figure 1-2 shown, the independent and assembled intelligent metasurface unit is a reflective intelligent metasurface unit, which specifically includes a dielectric substrate 100, a square metal pattern, and a metal backplane ground 101.

[0038] The dielectric substrate 100 is disposed on the upper surface of the metal backplane ground 101, and the square metal pattern is disposed on the upper surface of the dielectric substrate 100.

[0039] In this embodiment, the electromagnetic characteristics of the independent and assembled intelligent metasurface unit are changed by adjusting the side length of the dielectric substrate 100 and the side length of the square metal pattern.

[0040] This embodiment provides a 2-bit reflective physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface operating at 3.55 GHz, which is composed of four types of assembled intelligent metasurface units with different electromagnetic characteristics. The four types of assembled intelligent metasurface units with different electromagnetic characteristics are arranged in sequence from left to right, including two columns of the first type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 1, two columns of the second type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 2, two columns of the third type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 3, and two columns of the fourth type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 4. The first type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 1 includes a dielectric substrate 100, a metal backplane ground 101 located below the dielectric substrate, and a first square metal pattern 102 located above the dielectric substrate; the second type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 2 includes a dielectric substrate 100, a metal backplane ground 101 located below the dielectric substrate, and a second square metal pattern 103 located above the dielectric substrate; the third type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 3 includes a dielectric substrate 100, a metal backplane ground 101 located below the dielectric substrate, and a third square metal pattern 104 located above the dielectric substrate; the fourth type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 4 includes a dielectric substrate 100, a metal backplane ground 101 located below the dielectric substrate, and a fourth square metal pattern 105 located above the dielectric substrate. The thickness of the dielectric substrate 100 is 3 mm and the side length is 40 mm; the materials of the first square metal pattern 102, the second square metal pattern 103, the third square metal pattern 104, and the fourth square metal pattern 105 are all copper, and the thicknesses are all 0.035 mm. The side length of the first square metal pattern 102 is 19.8 mm; the side length of the second square metal pattern 103 is 22.6 mm; the side length of the third square metal pattern 104 is 23.6 mm; the side length of the fourth square metal pattern 105 is 25.6 mm. The materials of the metal backplane grounds 101 of the four types of assembled intelligent metasurface units are all copper, the thickness is 0.035 mm, and the side length is 40 mm.

[0041] Among them, the unit attachment plate 200 is a rectangular plate made by 3D printing with poly(lactic acid) as the raw material. Taking a physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface including 64 (8×8) independent assembled intelligent metasurface units as an example, the side length of the unit attachment plate is 320 mm and the thickness is 10 mm. The dielectric substrates 100 of the four types of assembled intelligent metasurface units all adopt F4B material, the dielectric constant of the dielectric substrate is 2.65, and the loss tangent of the dielectric substrate is 0.001.

[0042] A 2-bit reflective physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface operating at 3.55 GHz, the manufacturing process is as follows:

[0043] First, divide the unit attachment board 200 into 64 square regions equally according to the number of units of the independently assembled intelligent metasurface, and use the adhesive in the assembly auxiliary material to paste the first magnet sheet 201 at the center of each square region.

[0044] Next, use the adhesive in the assembly auxiliary material to paste the second magnet sheet 202 at the center of the metal backplane 101 of each unit of the assembled intelligent metasurface.

[0045] Finally, use the magnetism of the second magnet sheet 202 to adsorb the units of the assembled intelligent metasurface on the first magnet sheet 201 of the unit attachment board 200 according to a certain arrangement and splicing pattern, forming a reflectively physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface.

[0046] Among them, the adhesive is 502 glue, the first magnet sheet 201 and the second magnet sheet 202 are small magnet sheets, and the arrangement and splicing pattern is periodic repetitive alternating arrangement, random arrangement or specific arrangement according to the theoretical calculated value.

[0047] As Figure 3 shown, a 2-bit reflectively physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface operating at 3.55 GHz includes four types of units of the assembled intelligent metasurface, and the reflection amplitudes of the units at the operating frequency of 3.55 GHz are -0.02 dB, -0.23 dB, -0.28 dB, and 0.07 dB respectively.

[0048] As Figure 4 shown, a 2-bit reflectively physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface operating at 3.55 GHz includes four types of units of the assembled intelligent metasurface, and the phases at the operating frequency of 3.55 GHz are 131.8°, 42.7° - 49.6°, and -138.7° respectively.

[0049] As Figure 5 shown, a "00112233" type array arrangement method for realizing the deflection of a single beam of reflected electromagnetic waves is as follows: the first and second columns are arranged with the first type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 1; the third and fourth columns are arranged with the second type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 2; the fifth and sixth columns are arranged with the third type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 3; the seventh and eighth columns are arranged with the fourth type of assembled intelligent metasurface unit 4.

[0050] The present invention adopts multiple independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface units with different or the same electromagnetic characteristics, and by changing the arrangement of multiple independent and assemblable intelligent metasurface units with different or the same electromagnetic characteristics on the unit attachment board, the reconfiguration and function switching of the intelligent metasurface can be realized. Compared with the traditional intelligent metasurface reconfiguration scheme achieved by electric control, the present invention significantly reduces the reconfiguration cost of the intelligent metasurface in any physical form by using the dynamic array mode of the assemblable intelligent metasurface units, and has broad application prospects and practical value.

[0051] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the principle of the present invention, several improvements and refinements can be made, and these improvements and refinements should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface, characterized in that, Comprising: Multiple independent assemblable intelligent metasurface units with different or the same electromagnetic characteristics, a unit attachment board (200), and assembly auxiliary materials; Multiple of the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface units are arranged on the surface of the unit attachment board (200) according to an arrangement and splicing pattern, and each of the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface units is connected to the surface of the unit attachment board (200) through the assembly auxiliary materials.

2. The physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface according to claim 1, wherein The independent assemblable intelligent metasurface unit includes: a reflective intelligent metasurface unit; The reflective intelligent metasurface unit includes: a dielectric substrate (100), a metal pattern, and a metal backplane (101); The dielectric substrate (100) is disposed on the upper surface of the metal backplane (101), and the metal pattern is disposed on the upper surface of the dielectric substrate (100); The reflective intelligent metasurface unit changes the electromagnetic characteristics of the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface unit by adjusting the side length of the dielectric substrate (100), the side length of the metal pattern, and the shape of the metal pattern.

3. The physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface according to claim 1, wherein The assembly auxiliary materials include a second magnet sheet (202) and an adhesive or inserts and an adhesive; When the assembly auxiliary materials are the second magnet sheet (202) and an adhesive, one side of the second magnet sheet (202) is adhered to the surface of the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface unit through the adhesive, and the other side is adsorbed on one side of the unit attachment board (200); When the assembly auxiliary materials are inserts and an adhesive, one side of the inserts is adhered to the surface of the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface unit through the adhesive and the other side is inserted into one side of the unit attachment board (200).

4. The physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface according to claim 3, wherein When the assembly auxiliary materials are the second magnet sheet (202) and an adhesive, one side of the unit attachment board (200) is provided with a magnetic layer or multiple first magnet sheets (201) for adsorbing the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface unit on its surface; When the assembly auxiliary materials are inserts and an adhesive, multiple slots are formed on one side of the unit attachment board (200) for inserting the independent assemblable intelligent metasurface unit on its surface.

5. The physically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface according to claim 1, wherein The arrangement and splicing pattern is periodic repetitive alternating arrangement, random arrangement, or specific arrangement according to theoretical calculated values.

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