Waveform-selective Metasurfaces Research Articles

Passive time-varying waveform-selective metasurfaces for attainment of magnetic property control

Passive time-varying waveform-selective metasurfaces for attainment of magnetic property control

Dual-band waveform-selective metasurfaces for reflection suppression

In this study, we present a design method to realize waveform-selective metasurface absorbers operating in more than one frequency band, which is validated both numerically and experimentally. The waveform-selective metasurface absorbers could preferentially absorb target electromagnetic waves of the same frequency in accordance with the incident waveform, more specifically, the pulse width. Although such waveform selectivity is expected to offer additional selectivity at a fixed frequency, thus far, its operation has been limited to a single frequency band. Our design method enables waveform-selective metasurface absorbers to suppress reflection depending on the incident pulse width at two independent frequencies. Importantly, the dual-band approach is enhanced by varying the spatial ratio of unit cells assigned to the two frequencies. Thus, our study opens up possibilities for the utilization of waveform-selective metasurfaces in diverse frequency bands, providing a valuable and versatile solution to address challenges spanning various applications, such as wireless communications, sensing, and electromagnetic shielding.

Perfect pulse filtering under simultaneous incidence at the same frequencies with waveform-selective metasurfaces

We present a new concept of metasurface filters to preferentially extract pulsed waveforms at a constant frequency from a complex superimposed input signal. This filtering capability is realized using circuit-based metasurfaces, denoted waveform-selective metasurfaces, that behave according to the pulse duration of the incident wave. Importantly, our metasurface filters overcome a long-lasting issue of eliminating unnecessary pulses under simultaneous incidence without relying on variables that are commonly used for modulation schemes, e.g., frequency, time, and spatial variation (angular dependence). Such simultaneous filtering is made possible by integrating several types of waveform-selective metasurface unit cells with delay lines and successive interference cancellation processes. Moreover, we show that our concept can be extended to incorporating broadband signals, additional pulses, and variables used for existing modulation schemes. Our study therefore provides a higher degree of freedom to control electromagnetic waves and phenomena with possible applications including wireless power transfer and communications.

Design and analysis for the SPICE parameters of waveform-selective metasurfaces varying with the incident pulse width at a constant oscillation frequency

In this study, we numerically demonstrate how the response of recently reported circuit-based metasurfaces is characterized by their circuit parameters. These metasurfaces, which include a set of four diodes as a full wave rectifier, are capable of sensing different waves even at the same frequency in response to the incident waveform, or more specifically the pulse width. This study reveals the relationship between the electromagnetic response of such waveform-selective metasurfaces and the SPICE parameters of the diodes used. In particular, we draw conclusions about how the SPICE parameters are related to (1) the high-frequency operation, (2) input power requirement and (3) dynamic range of waveform-selective metasurfaces with supporting simulation results. First, we show that reducing a parasitic capacitive component of the diodes is important for realization of the waveform-selective metasurfaces in a higher frequency regime. Second, we report that the operating power level is closely related to the saturation current and the breakdown voltage of the diodes. Moreover, the operating power range is found to be broadened by introducing an additional resistor into the inside of the diode bridge. Our study is expected to provide design guidelines for circuit-based waveform-selective metasurfaces to select/fabricate optimal diodes and enhance the waveform-selective performance at the target frequency and power level. Our results are usefully exploited to ensure the selectivity based on the pulse duration of the incident wave in a range of potential applications including electromagnetic interference, wireless power transfer, antenna design, wireless communications, and sensing.

Method for extracting the equivalent admittance from time-varying metasurfaces and its application to self-tuned spatiotemporal wave manipulation

With their self-tuned time-varying responses, waveform-selective metasurfaces embedded with nonlinear electronics have shown fascinating applications, including distinguishing different electromagnetic waves depending on the pulse width (PW). However, thus far they have only been realized with a spatially homogeneous scattering profile. Here, by modeling a metasurface as time-varying admittance sheets, we provide an analytical calculation method to predict the metasurface time-domain responses. This allows derivation of design specifications in the form of equivalent sheet admittance, which is useful in synthesizing a metasurface with spatiotemporal control, such as to realize a metasurface with prescribed time-dependent diffraction characteristics. As an example, based on the proposed equivalent admittance sheet modeling, we synthesize a waveform-selective Fresnel zone plate with variable focal length depending on the incoming PW. The proposed synthesis method for PW-dependent metasurfaces may be extended to designing metasurfaces with more complex spatiotemporal wave manipulation, benefiting applications such as sensing, wireless communications and signal processing.

Simplified equivalent circuit approach for designing time-domain responses of waveform-selective metasurfaces

In this study, we demonstrate simplified equivalent circuit models to effectively approximate responses of recently reported waveform-selective metasurfaces that distinguish different electromagnetic waves even at the same frequency depending on their waveforms or pulse widths. Compared to conventional equivalent circuit models that represent behaviors of ordinary metasurfaces in the “frequency” domain, the proposed models enable us to explain how waveform-selective metasurfaces respond in the “time” domain. Our approach well estimates not only time constants of waveform-selective metasurfaces but also their entire time-domain responses. Particularly, this study reports the importance of resistive components of diodes as well as the limitation of our models with respect to the power dependence although still the models effectively work when waveform-selective mechanisms are clearly exhibited with a sufficiently large input power. Thus, the idea of the proposed equivalent circuit models contributes not only to a greater understanding of waveform-selective mechanisms but also to facilitating the design process of such unique structures.

Numerical demonstration of non‐reciprocal waveform‐selective metasurfaces

The authors demonstrate two types of non-reciprocal waveform-selective metasurfaces that control the level of reflectance, depending not only on the direction of the incident wave but also on the waveform, namely, on the pulse width. A capacitor-based waveform-selective metasurface exhibits strong reflectance for a short pulse compared to that for a continuous wave (CW) at the same frequency. In contrast, an inductor-based waveform-selective metasurface more strongly reflects a CW than a pulse. The difference between them is demonstrated to be more than 50% but is reduced for a wave propagating in the other direction. The concept of the authors' structures is expected to offer an additional degree of freedom with which to design non-reciprocal devices and applications.

Responses of Waveform-Selective Absorbing Metasurfaces to Oblique Waves at the Same Frequency.

Conventional materials vary their electromagnetic properties in response to the frequency of an incoming wave, but these responses generally remain unchanged at the same frequency unless nonlinearity is involved. Waveform-selective metasurfaces, recently developed by integrating several circuit elements with planar subwavelength periodic structures, allowed us to distinguish different waves even at the same frequency depending on how long the waves continued, namely, on their pulse widths. These materials were thus expected to give us an additional degree of freedom to control electromagnetic waves. However, all the past studies were demonstrated with waves at a normal angle only, although in reality electromagnetic waves scatter from various structures or boundaries and therefore illuminate the metasurfaces at oblique angles. Here we study angular dependences of waveform-selective metasurfaces both numerically and experimentally. We demonstrate that, if designed properly, capacitor-based waveform-selective metasurfaces more effectively absorb short pulses than continuous waves (CWs) for a wide range of the incident angle, while inductor-based metasurfaces absorb CWs more strongly. Our study is expected to be usefully exploited for applying the concept of waveform selectivity to a wide range of existing microwave devices to expand their functionalities or performances in response to pulse width as a new capability.

Visualization of Field Distributions of Waveform-Selective Metasurface

We demonstrate numerical simulations of recently reported waveform-selective metasurfaces by developing a new electromagnetic (EM) simulation method based on the Transmission Line Modeling (TLM) method. As opposed to a conventional method integrating an EM simulator with a circuit simulator, this simulation method allows us to fully visualize electromagnetic fields around the metasurfaces. Therefore, this demonstrates how the waveform selectivity varies the surrounding fields in response to the pulse width of the incoming wave even at the same frequency. This simulation method is expected to be useful for testing other kinds of circuit-based metasurfaces and metamaterials as well.

Time-Domain Filtering of Metasurfaces.

In general electromagnetic response of each material to a continuous wave does not vary in time domain if the frequency component remains the same. Recently, it turned out that integrating several circuit elements including schottky diodes with periodically metallised surfaces, or the so-called metasurfaces, leads to selectively absorbing specific types of waveforms or pulse widths even at the same frequency. These waveform-selective metasurfaces effectively showed different absorbing performances for different widths of pulsed sine waves by gradually varying their electromagnetic responses in time domain. Here we study time-filtering effects of such circuit-based metasurfaces illuminated by continuous sine waves. Moreover, we introduce extra circuit elements to these structures to enhance the time-domain control capability. These time-varying properties are expected to give us another degree of freedom to control electromagnetic waves and thus contribute to developing new kinds of electromagnetic applications and technologies, e.g. time-windowing wireless communications and waveform conversion.

Waveform-selective metasurfaces with free-space wave pulses at the same frequency

Waveform-selective metasurfaces, reported by Wakatsuchi et al. in 2014, have enabled us to distinguish different surface waves even at the same frequency in accordance with their waveforms or pulse widths. In this study we demonstrate that such new characteristics are applicable to controlling not only surface waves but also free-space waves normal to metasurfaces. Both simulation and measurement results show selective absorption or transmission for specific pulses at the same frequency. Thus the waveform selectivity is expected to create a wider range of new applications, for instance, waveform-selective antennas and wireless communications.