Controllable Metamaterials via MEMS Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current composite materials exhibiting negative effective permeability and permittivity for electromagnetic radiation lack temporal controllability, limiting their industrial applications such as superlenses and radar designs.
Innovation Solution
The development of composite materials with electromagnetically reactive cells of small dimension, where microelectromechanical actuators control the relative position of reactive segments to temporally adjust capacitive and inductive properties, enabling dynamic control of effective permittivity and permeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If composite materials with negative effective permeability and permittivity are used, then electromagnetic radiation propagation can be controlled for applications like superlenses and radar, but temporal controllability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the metamaterial structure movable through microelectromechanical actuators. The resonant cells can dynamically adjust their geometry and position in response to control signals, enabling temporal modulation of the negative permeability and permittivity properties while maintaining their functional reliability for electromagnetic radiation control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the metamaterial structure through microelectromechanical actuation. By altering the geometric parameters of resonant cells (such as gap distances and structural configurations), the effective permeability and permittivity are dynamically adjusted, providing temporal controllability while preserving the essential electromagnetic control functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If microelectromechanical actuators are added to control temporal properties, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the metamaterial into discrete resonant cells, each equipped with its own microelectromechanical actuator. This modular segmentation allows independent control of each cell's electromagnetic properties while distributing the complexity across multiple identical units, simplifying the overall design and fabrication process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs universal microelectromechanical actuator designs that can be applied across all resonant cells in the metamaterial. These standardized actuators perform multiple functions (positioning, gap adjustment, resonance tuning) and can be fabricated using the same process, reducing overall device complexity while providing comprehensive temporal control capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for precise temporal control of radiation propagation, enhancing applications like superlensing and radiation beam scanning by modulating the effective refractive index of the composite material.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the electromagnetically reactive cells comprises first and second electromagnetically reactive segments microelectromechanically movable relative to each other according to an applied control signal
Implementation Method 2
composite materials capable of exhibiting negative effective permeability and/or negative effective permittivity with respect to incident electromagnetic radiation
Implementation Method 3
periodic arrays of electromagnetically resonant cells that are of substantially small dimension compared to the wavelength of the incident radiation
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and related methods for controlling propagation of incident radiation are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a composite material operable to exhibit at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for incident radiation at an operating frequency. The composite material comprises electromagnetically reactive cells of small dimension relative to a wavelength of the incident radiation. Each of the electromagnetically reactive cells comprises first and second electromagnetically reactive segments microelectromechanically movable relative to each other according to an applied control signal such that at least one of a capacitive and inductive property of the electromagnetically reactive cells is temporally controllable according to the applied control signal.