Normal Incident Plane Wave Research Articles

Gradient metasurface covered with water-based channels for reconfigurable RCS reduction

A gradient metasurface covered with water-based channels (GMWC) is proposed for RCS (radar cross section) reduction reconfiguration. The amplitude and phase response of the metasurface unit covered by the water-based channel (WC) is altered, which results in a change in the monostatic scattering of the GMWC. Under the normal incidence of X-polarized plane waves, the RCS reduction of GMWC shows different levels when different water channels are activated. The simulated results show that the average RCS reduction of GMWC increases from 5 dB to 20 dB in 5 dB steps in the 6 GHz to 8.2 GHz frequency band under four different reconstruction states (10000;01000;00100;00001). Besides, GMWC has an average RCS reduction of 10 dB within UWB (4–18 GHz) under state 10000. Finally, GMWC is fabricated and measured, and the measured results are in agreement with the simulated results. The RCS reduction reconfiguration characteristic of GMWC has potential application in target camouflage.

Lightweight and broadband metamaterial absorber based on ITO impedance film

In this paper, we present a lightweight, broadband metamaterial absorber that exhibits polarization stability and is insensitive to incident angles. The absorber is composed of one layer of indium tin oxide impedance surface, three layers of quartz fiber composite material, and one layer of paper honeycomb on a metal sheet. Our proposed absorber has a 90 % absorptivity bandwidth of 13.19 GHz, ranging from 4.83 GHz to 18.12 GHz at TEM plane wave normal incidence, covering the entire X and Ku band. We illustrate the variation of design parameters and the distribution of electromagnetic field and current to investigate the absorption mechanism. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our design, we fabricate a prototype sample and measure its absorption performance. The results show a bandwidth of 12.38 GHz, ranging from 4.91 GHz to 17.29 GHz, with a low profile of 0.095λL at the lowest operating frequency. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical simulation, effectively verifying our proposed design.

Use of metamaterials to reduce underwater noise generated by ship machinery

Reducing underwater noise pollution from ship machinery is a significant challenge. Ship machinery usually operates at fixed speeds and emits tonal noise with large amplitudes at low frequencies. Conventional soundproofing materials are inadequate for absorbing tonal noise and require large thicknesses at low frequencies. Quarter-wavelength resonators effectively absorb sound at their fundamental frequency and odd harmonics. Still, the applicability of this solution is nevertheless limited by its length requirement, which becomes cumbersome at low frequencies and, thus, large wavelengths. This study explores different structured metamaterial designs based on labyrinth, coiled quarter-wavelength resonators, and hybrid configurations combining glass wool and coiled resonators. Analytical, numerical calculations, and experimental tests are carried out under normal plane wave incidence (using an impedance tube) and a diffuse acoustic field (in a small reverberant cabin). In particular, a numerical optimization based on a periodic unit cell model is used to optimize the hybrid configuration and analyze its behavior under variable plane wave incidence angles. Preliminary tests conducted in a water basin using a small, straightforward aluminum box equipped with some proposed designs indicate reductions in underwater noise levels. The proposed solutions offer limited-cost and compact solutions for mitigating machinery noise and, potentially, the preservation of marine ecosystems.

On the area-averaged effective sound absorption coefficient of porous materials excited by a monopole

The area-averaged effective sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of a rigid-backed homogeneous porous material subjected to a monopole excitation is calculated as the absorbed-to-incident sound power ratio. Using Allard's model to describe the sound propagation above the porous material, an analytical model for this power-based SAC is proposed and proves to give a good approximation of the sound absorption performance under monopole excitation of sufficiently large areas of material. The impact of factors on the power-based SAC, such as monopole height, material radial dimension used to calculate the sound powers, and material properties is discussed. The power-based SAC frequency-dependent behavior is analyzed through sound intensity field assessments at the material surface and is compared to normal incident plane wave and diffuse field SACs. The sound absorption behavior of sound absorbers under monopole excitation exhibits notable distinctions and peculiar results compared to those observed under plane wave and diffuse fields, particularly at low frequencies and for sources close to the material.

Adjustable broadband absorber based on vanadium dioxide multiple coupled diagonally sliced square ring shaped structure for THz frequency

A broadband absorber with multiple coupled diagonally sliced square rings at terahertz frequency using vanadium dioxide is proposed. The proposed structure exhibits more than 90 % absorption in the frequency range of 2.85–7.51 THz, with a relative bandwidth of 89.96 % and an absorption bandwidth of 4.66 THz. The absorptivity curve increases as vanadium dioxide conductivity rises from 200 S/m to 200,000 S/m, giving a wide range of tunability from 1.62 % to 100 % at 3.4 THz. Due to its geometrical symmetry, the proposed structure is independent of the polarization angle under normal incident plane waves. The proposed structure works for different incident angles for transverse electric (TE) mode and transverse magnetic (TM) mode with oblique incidence plane waves. The results demonstrate the broad bandwidth compared to the state-of-the-art designs within the same frequency band with potential applications in sensors, switches, tuning, and modulation in the terahertz range.

Hybrid cubic-chessboard metasurfaces for wideband angle-independent diffusive scattering and enhanced stealth.

Because of the shortcomings associated with their scattering patterns, both the chessboard and cubic phased metasurfaces show non-perfect diffusion and hence sub-optimal radar cross section reduction (RCSR) properties. This paper presents a novel and powerful hybrid RCSR design approach for diffusive scattering by combining the unique attributes of cubic phase and chessboard phase profiles. The hybrid phase distribution is achieved by simultaneously imposing two distinct phase profiles (chessboard and cubic) on the hybrid metasurface area with the aid of geometric phase theory to further enhance the diffusive scattering and RCSR. It is shown in this paper that through the integration of cubic and chessboard phase profiles, a metasurface with the hybrid phase mask successfully overcomes all the above issues and shortcomings related to the RCSR of both chessboard and cubic metasurfaces. In addition, the proposed design leverages the unique scattering properties offered by these distinct phase profiles to achieve enhanced stealth capabilities over wide frequency ranges and for large incidence angles. Simulation and measurement results show that the designed hybrid metasurfaces using the proposed strategy achieved RCSR and low-level diffused scattering patterns from 12-28 GHz (80%) for normal incidence of a far-field CP radar plane wave. The hybrid metasurface shows a stable angular diffusion and RCSR performance when the azimuthal and elevation incidence angles are in the range of 0° → ± 75° which is wider than other designs in the literature. Therefore, this work can make objects significantly less detectable in complex radar environments when enhanced stealth is required.

Topology optimization of array of split-ring resonators in two-dimensional acoustic waveguide for low-frequency transmission problems

This work focuses on the topology optimization of an array of split-ring resonators to achieve nearly zero transmission in the low-frequency regime ranging from 500 Hz to 1000 Hz in 2D waveguide, under the condition of normal-incident plane wave and based on a homogenization scheme known as the Effective Medium Approach (EMA). The EMA transforms each individual resonator defined by its outer radius (rout), neck thickness (h), and the slit width (d), into a homogenous medium characterized by frequency-dependent physical parameters. The transmission coefficient (Tcoeff) of the array can thus be easily evaluated without relying on computationally expensive Finite Element (FE) software. Two optimization algorithms, namely “Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP)” and “Genetic Algorithm (GA),” have been implemented to the abovementioned topological parameters with sum of Tcoeff being the objective function to minimize. Accuracy of the results has also been validated using software COMSOL Multiphysics® and the satisfactory level of accuracy has proven this approach to be a more efficient and time-saving method to conduct topology optimization of split-ring resonators in low-frequency regime. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the optimized dimensions of resonators are over 20 times smaller than the wavelength in the low frequency range where almost-zero transmission is achieved.

RCS reduction metasurface based on orbital angular momentum

A novel radar cross-section (RCS) reduction metasurface is designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized to flexibility control wavefront and efficiency generated orbital angular momentum (OAM). The metasurface is composed of several square loops with different reflection phases. Utilizing the property of the OAM phase singularity, the metasurface presents a significant RCS reduction along the propagation axis. Simulation results show that RCS reduction over 40 dB for normal incident plane waves at 7.6 GHz. For further clarity the physical mechanism of the RCS reduction, the near-field and 3D far-field features of the metasurface are discussed in detail. Two prototypes are fabricated and experimented with different topological charges. Good agreement is achieved between full-wave simulations and measurements. The design methodology provides an alternative to low-RCS and wavefront modulation design.

Turning whispering-gallery-mode responses through Fano interferences in coupled all-dielectric block-disk cavities.

Here, we theoretically demonstrate a strategy for efficiently turning whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) responses of a subwavelength dielectric disk through their near-field couplings with common low-order electromagnetic resonances of a dielectric block. Both simulations and an analytical coupled oscillator model show that the couplings are Fano interferences between dark high-quality WGMs and bright modes of the block. The responses of a WGM in the coupled system are highly dependent on the strengths and the relative phases of the block modes, the coupling strength, and the decay rate of the WGM. The WGM responses of coupled systems can exceed that of the individual disk. In addition, such a configuration will also facilitate the excitation of WGMs by a normal incident plane wave in experiments. These results could enable new applications for enhancing light-matter interactions.

Optical Response of a Composite System “Monolayer of Spherical Particles in an Absorbing Matrix” at Normal Incidence of Plane Wave

Optical Response of a Composite System “Monolayer of Spherical Particles in an Absorbing Matrix” at Normal Incidence of Plane Wave

Realization of Single-Layer Fourier Phased Metasurfaces for Wideband RCS Reduction

An efficient and fast strategy to design and realize single layer Fourier phased metasurfaces for wideband radar cross section (RCS) reduction when illuminated by a circular polarization (CP) plane wave is proposed in this letter. The scattering phase (between 0 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">o</sup> and 360 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">o</sup> ) required at each unit cell of the proposed metasurfaces was computed using the Fourier phase formula in which the focal length ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">F</i> ) is inversely proportional to the phase distribution. Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase theory was applied with unit cells of subwavelength periodicity to further enhance the scattering and RCS reduction characteristics. The proposed wideband Fourier phased metasurface has a square shape and contains 30 × 30 PB unit cells with subwavelength periodicity of 5 mm ≈ 0.26λ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">16GHz</sub> . Both simulation and measured results show that the proposed Fourier phased metasurfaces can achieve more than 10 dB of RCS reduction under normal incidence of CP plane wave regardless of the value of <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">F</i> . Under oblique incidence, more than 10 dB of RCS reduction was maintained for incident angles up to 60°. In addition, the single-layer Fourier phased metasurface features wideband 10 dB RCS reduction bandwidth from 10 GHz to 24 GHz with a thickness of only 2 mm. This resulted in an 82.3% fractional bandwidth (FBW) of RCS reduction which is higher than other designs reported in the literature. The proposed design strategy provides a promising way to design and realize metasurfaces for wideband and stable RCS reduction performance without the need to use a computationally complex and/or time-consuming and slow running optimization algorithm.

Low frequency sound absorption performance of large sized active micro-perforated panel absorber in free field

The active micro-perforated panel absorber has excellent low frequency sound absorption performance, which is expected to realize low-frequency noise reduction in large space of the cabin. Since its active sound absorption performance depends on the incident sound field environment, on the basis of the existing research conclusions in the duct, the active sound absorption performance of the large-sized active micro-perforated panel absorber under the excitation of a normal incident plane wave in typical free field environment is in depth investigated. First, the theoretical model of the active micro-perforated panel absorber is established by using the modal analysis approach, in which a reflection coefficient varying with position is introduced to represent the reflected sound wave on the surface of the active micro-perforated panel absorber in free field. Then, the physical mechanism of active control is thoroughly analyzed and the error sensing strategy is established. Finally, an experiment is carried out to validate the theoretical model and findings. Results obtained demonstrate that the greater the amplitude of the (0, 0, 0) cavity mode excited by the incident plane wave, the stronger the reflection effect on the incident sound wave is, and vice versa. The control source suppresses the (0, 0, 0) mode so that this mode will not reflect and absorb the incident plane wave substantially when its amplitude is reduced to an optimal value. This is main mechanism of the sound absorption improvement in the low frequency range. However, the excited high order cavity modes (except for (0, 0, 0) mode) greatly reflect the incident sound energy in free field and exert a negative effect on sound absorption improvement. Thus, the control performance of the active micro-perforated panel absorber weakens in free field in comparison with that in the duct. The pressure-release and impedance-matching strategies are still applicable to free field as long as such a situation holds, i.e. the (0, 0, 0) cavity mode can be substantially suppressed by the control source and at the same time the high order cavity modes cannot be highly excited.

Optical Trapping of a Single Molecule of Length Sub-1 nm in Solution

Optical Trapping of a Single Molecule of Length Sub-1 nm in Solution

Bifunctional Full-Space Metasurface Combining Pancharatnam–Berry and Propagation Phases

A bifunctional full-space metasurface (FS-MS) capable of generating reflective multiple vortex beams and focusing transmissive electromagnetic waves within different frequency bands is presented in this letter. The generation of vortex beams is based on the Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase, which exhibits the property of full phase control by rotating the orientation angle of an I-shaped patch. Meanwhile, this PB unit is backed by a metallic square loop frequency selective surface (FSS), which behaves as stopband and passband responses around 18 GHz and 12 GHz, respectively. By encoding PB phase to generate a certain phase response, four reflective vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are achieved at a higher frequency band under normal incidence. On the other hand, the incident waves operating at a lower frequency band can pass through such an FSS-backed PB unit and be focused by a three-layer composite unit consisting of a polarization-conversion unit sandwiched by two orthogonal polarizers. Therefore, upon illumination of normal incident plane waves, the proposed FS-MS works as a multiple OAM beams generator and a focusing lens simultaneously. The proposed design can motivate the realizations of FS-MS and hold potential applications in intelligent housing systems.

Acoustical performance of a wavy micro-perforated panel absorber

In this study, the sound absorption performance of a wavy micro-perforated panel absorber (WMPPA) is investigated. First, a numerical model is established to calculate the sound absorption coefficients of micro-perforated panel absorbers (MPPAs) under normal, oblique, and random incidences. Subsequently, the proposed model is validated using an existing theoretical formula. After that, the acoustical properties of a WMPPA are explored and then compared with those of flat and corrugated micro-perforated panel absorbers (FMPPAs, CMPPAs). It is observed that the normal sound absorption curve of the WMPPA shifts to a lower frequency range compared with those of CMPPA and FMPPA, which is promising for the control of low-frequency noise. Besides, the sound absorption performance of the WMPPA at the dips is considerably improved, which is favourable for the reduction of broadband noise. Modal analysis shows that, apart from the resonant mode, the adjacent non-resonating modes are also excited, which enhances the performance. Moreover, the WMPPA exhibits the properties of a multiple-layered MPPA, and extra sound absorption peaks are observed within the middle- to high-frequency range. In addition, a parametric study is conducted to explore the influence of the corrugation depth and offset distance on the sound absorption performance of the WMPPA. The calculated results demonstrate that the proposed WMPPA is suitable for low-frequency and broadband noise control. Furthermore, a compact WMPPA with a high random sound absorption coefficient is obtained following an optimization scheme. Finally, the sound absorption coefficients of the MPPAs under normal plane-wave incidence are obtained experimentally using an impedance tube. The measurement results agree well with the simulation results, validating the proposed model and verifying some of the numerical findings.

Demonstration of dipole-induced transparency using mirrored split-ring resonator metasurface for microwave applications

In this paper, the Dipole-Induced Transparency (DIT) in the microwave frequency regime is proposed and verified using experimental and simulation studies. A single-layer mirrored Split-Ring Resonator (SRR) array configured in the H⊥ excitation scenario is used to create an out-of-phase oscillating electric dipole moment for a normal incident plane wave. The destructive interference between these out-of-phase oscillating electric dipole moments nullifies far-field scattering resulting in the emergence of the transparency window. We used the multipole scattering theory to validate the results computationally. The coupling effects are studied numerically, and the emergence of the transparency window is studied experimentally using transmission measurements inside an anechoic chamber using a vector network analyzer.

Incident-Angle-Dependent Extraordinary Transmission of the Terahertz Bull’s-Eye Structure

The bull's-eye structure in the terahertz (THz) frequency region has ample applications owing to its ability to focus free-propagating waves into subwavelength apertures, resulting in enhanced transmission, that is, extraordinary transmission. However, its coupling properties have been primarily discussed in terms of the normal plane-wave incidence to the structure. In this study, we investigate the multiple resonances in extraordinary transmission with normal and oblique incident waves. The experiment using a widely tunable and high-power THz wave source revealed two types of resonances. The main resonance split depends on the incident angle, and the other corresponds to the side lobe of the main resonances. The results are explained by a simple analytical model using a finite number of scattering media. The analysis is supported by the full-wave simulation using the finite-element method, which agrees with the experimental results. The coupling mechanisms will be applicable to design devices, such as THz biosensing devices or THz antennas for rapid communication systems.

Design of an ultra-wideband omnidirectional and polarization insensitive flower petal antenna for potential ambient electromagnetic energy harvesting applications

Developing a polarization insensitive, omnidirectional, and ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna is highly desired for improving the utilization of freely available electromagnetic (EM) radiation energy. In this study, we have designed an UWB antenna based on tapered flower petals and numerically analyzed to show that it is a promising candidate for energy harvesting applications in the infrared (IR) to UV–visible regime. The impacts of design strategy and parameters on the absorption performance are studied numerically. The antenna shows a high performance in both bandwidth and absorptivity (average absorption of 84.5% spanning a broad range from 25 to 800 THz) under normal incidence of plane waves. To get a better understanding behind such high and UWB absorption mechanism, we investigated the electric field (E-field) distribution over the structure. The antenna also generates less than 5% absorption deviation between normal to 45° incident angle and 0.05% absorption deviation between 0° and 90° polarizations for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes. This new design aspect and the numerical findings unfolds the new direction for numerous EM wideband applications such as THz technology, photo detection, bolometric sensing, camouflaging, spectral imaging, and ambient EM energy harvesting applications.

Ultrasensitive and Broadband Optical Toroidal Modes in all‐Dielectric Nanostructures (Laser Photonics Rev. 16(3)/2022)

Toroidal Metamaterials In article number 2100404, Hui-Hsin Hsiao, and Ai-Yin Liu demonstrate optical toroidal dipole and anapole metamaterials through the designs of periodic amorphous silicon nano-pillars embedded in a spin-on glass layer. Upon normal incidence of plane wave, the transverse toroidal moment, stemming from a complete head-to-tail configuration of the magnetic dipole moments within each individual nanopillar, are excited in optical regime. The toroidal response can be enhanced and spectrally tuned by elongating cylindrical axis perpendicular to the light polarization and exhibit ultrahigh refractive index sensitivity compared to other multipoles.

Ultrasensitive and Broadband Optical Toroidal Modes in all‐Dielectric Nanostructures

AbstractDynamic toroidal dipole (TD) with its peculiar characteristic of broken space‐inversion and time‐reversal symmetries plays an important role in the fundamental physics of light–matter interaction. Here, TD metamaterials comprised of amorphous silicon nanopillar arrays embedded in spin‐on‐glass layer are experimentally demonstrated. Upon normal incidence of plane wave, the transverse toroidal moment and the associated anapole‐like state are excited in optical regime. The strong TD response stems from a complete head‐to‐tail configuration of the magnetic dipole moments within each individual nanopillar. Both the experimental and simulation results show that such TD mode sustains a large structural tolerance and can be spectrally tuned by elongating the cylindrical axis perpendicular to the light polarization, corresponding to a cross‐sectional variation from circular to elliptical shapes. The excited TD mode is found to exhibit ultrahigh refractive index sensitivity compared to other multipoles, resulting in a sensitivity of 459 nm (470 nm) per external refractive index change in the experiment (calculation). This approach provides a simple and straightforward path in realizing toroidal metamaterials and establishes a new flat‐optics platform for realizing active metadevices, sensors, and nonlinear nanophotonics.