Underwater Scattering Exceptional Point by Metasurface with Fluid‐Solid Interaction

Abstract

AbstractExceptional point (EP), a special degeneracy in non‐Hermitian systems, has exhibited various distinctive wave characteristics. However, the conventional synthesis of scattering EPs in acoustics is confined to rather limited methods for breaking Hermiticity, typically requiring intrinsic losses or open interfaces. Here, the concept of synthesizing scattering EPs is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated by leveraging a metasurface with fluid‐solid interaction (FSI) in water. The incorporation of FSI offers a novel mechanism to customize natural radiation losses. Simulations and experiments consistently confirm that synthesized EPs result in extremely asymmetric scattering patterns, even in the case of spatially impenetrable metasurfaces. This enhanced spatial symmetry breaking benefits from the FSI on the interface and the nonlocal interaction between unit cells. The proposed non‐Hermitian framework, involving the interplay of sound in fluids and solids, is expected to open up new possibilities for exploring unique non‐Hermitian physics and underwater acoustic applications.