A 60-GHz Ultra-Thin and Flexible Metasurface for Frequency-Selective Wireless Applications

Syeda Jilani,Akram Alomainy,Tom Wildsmith,Paul Reip,Oluyemi Falade

doi:10.3390/app9050945

Abstract

This paper demonstrates a design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a frequency selective 60-GHz flexible metasurface in order to facilitate an unobstructed, secure, and low-loss high-frequency signal propagation. The high-attenuation 60 GHz millimeter-wave (MMW) band is selected for the design of a broadband metasurface. The symmetric metasurface unit-cell structure comprises of an assembly of a circular metallic ring embedded with a square-shaped ring. The screen printing process is deployed to perform fabrication of the metasurface on flexible films by means of highly-conductive nanoparticle copper pastes. Electromagnetic (EM) characteristics of the proposed structure are examined by using the quasi-optic bench testing facility in order to validate its potential contribution in the high data-rate communication links. The proposed ultra-thin and flexible metasurface can be integrated on walls and windows as wallpaper to enhance the wireless signal propagation in highly-dense indoor scenarios.

Highlights

In the past decades, metamaterials and metasurfaces have gathered an incredible consideration due to their unprecedented potency of tuning the electromagnetic (EM) characteristics and to achieve such EM properties not feasible in nature [1]
This paper has proposed the flexible printed metasurface to be integrated into the indoor scenarios, such as walls and windows, in order to enhance the signal strength for the 60-GHz band
This paper shows the potential utilization of flexible MMW metasurface as wallpapers or screens, Thistopaper shows the potential utilization of and flexible

Summary

Introduction

Metamaterials and metasurfaces have gathered an incredible consideration due to their unprecedented potency of tuning the electromagnetic (EM) characteristics and to achieve such EM properties not feasible in nature [1]. Metamaterials are three-dimensional assemblies of repeated patterns of multiple elements designed at scales that are smaller than the wavelengths of the design frequency range [2,3,4] These structures are developed from composite materials such as metals or plastics, their behavior is different from the conventional materials due to the newly designed geometry. With exceptional wave-steering capability, the metasurfaces designed for acoustic applications are capable to establish the distinctive features of realizing an abnormal reflection, demonstrated by the Snell’s law and ultrathin planar lenses [16]. These remarkable properties of metasurfaces have established profound

Methods

Results

Conclusion