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In this paper an approach for broadening of operational band in a dense array of dipole antennas by implementing passive split-loop resonators (SLRs) as decouplers is presented. Compared to the previous method, where three closely located active dipoles were decoupled by two passive dipole, the operational band is significantly improved from $0.5 \%$ to $1.6 \%$ at the same level of decoupling -8dB for the cross-talk and inter-channel transmittance. To delineate, the presence of two SLRs results in birefringence of the resonant interaction of SLRs which creates two different eigenmodes for decoupling. As a result, a dual-resonant decoupled band is obtained. Alongside with analytical investigation, numerical and experimental investigations verify the veracity of our approach. Moreover, the possibility of decoupling by SLRs for arrays with more active dipoles is investigated numerically.

We report decoupling of two closely located resonant dipole antennas dedicated for ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We show that a scatterer slightly raised over the plane of antennas grants a sufficient decoupling even for antennas separated by very small gap (below 1/30 of the wavelength). We compare the operation of two decoupling scatterers. One of them is a shortcut resonant dipole and another is a split-loop resonator (SLR). Previously, we have shown that the SLR offers a wider operational band than the dipole and the same level of decoupling. However, it was so for an array in free space. The presence of the body phantom drastically changes the decoupling conditions. Moreover, the requirement to minimize the parasitic scattering from the decoupling element into the body makes the decoupling dipole much more advantageous compared to the SLR.

Hyperbolic metasurfaces have gained significant attention due to their extraordinary electromagnetic properties to control propagating plane waves, but the excitation and propagation of the surface plasmon-polaritons at hyperbolic metasurfaces, called hyperbolic plasmons, have been experimentally observed just recently. However, the advantages of the hyperbolic plasmons, such as hybrid TE-TM polarization discussed below, are not yet fully revealed and analyzed. In this paper we focus on the numerical and experimental characterization of surface waves in the frequency range from 2 to 8 GHz supported by a hyperbolic metasurface composed of anisotropic metallic Jerusalem crosses printed on a thin dielectric substrate. We show different shapes of equal frequency contours, which correspond to a plethora of excitation and propagation regimes of surface waves. The principal novelty of this work consists in the experimental demonstration of the surface waves with a hybrid, i.e. mixed TE-TM, polarization. Surface waves with a hybrid polarization are the promising tool in a number of applications and phenomena including polarization converters, plasmonic sensors, plasmon steering over a surface, optical forces, spin-orbit photonics, and highlight the impact for the on-chip and planar networks., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

In this letter, we theoretically and experimentally prove the possibility of the complete passive decoupling for two parallel resonant dipoles by a split-loop resonator. Unlike previously achieved decoupling by a similar resonant dipole, this decoupling technique allows us to avoid the shrink of the operation band. Compare to previous work, simulation and measurement show 100\% enhancemnet of relative operation band from 0.2% to 0.4%

In this paper, we prove that two parallel dipole antennas can be decoupled by a similar but passive dipole located in the middle between them. The decoupling is proved for whatever excitation of these antennas and for ultimately small distances between them. Our theoretical model based on the method of induced electromotive forces is validated by numerical simulations and measurements. A good agreement between theory, simulation and measurement proves the veracity of our approach.

Preclinical magnetic resonance imaging often requires the entire body of an animal to be imaged with sufficient quality. This is usually performed by combining regions scanned with small coils with high sensitivity or long scans using large coils with low sensitivity. Here, a metamaterial-inspired design employing of a parallel array of wires operating on the principle of eigenmode hybridization is used to produce a small animal whole-body imaging coil. The coil field distribution responsible for the coil field of view and sensitivity is simulated in an electromagnetic simulation package and the coil geometrical parameters are optimized for the chosen application. A prototype coil is then manufactured and assembled using brass telescopic tubes and copper plates as distributed capacitance, its field distribution is measured experimentally using B1+ mapping technique and found to be in close correspondence with simulated results. The coil field distribution is found to be suitable for whole-body small animal imaging and coil image quality is compared with a number of commercially available coils by whole-body living mice scanning. Signal to noise measurements in living mice show outstanding coil performance compared to commercially available coils with large receptive fields, and rivaling performance compared to small receptive field and high-sensitivity coils. The coil is deemed suitable for whole-body small animal preclinical applications., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables

In this contribution we present numerical and experimental results of a parametric quantitative study of radiative dipole antennas in a phased array configuration for efficient body magnetic resonance imaging at 7T via parallel transmission. For magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at ultrahigh fields (7T and higher) dipole antennas are commonly used in phased arrays, particularly for body imaging targets. This study reveals the effects of dipole positioning in the array (elevation of dipoles above the subject and inter-dipole spacing) on their mutual coupling, $B_1^{+}$ per $P_{acc}$ and $B_1^{+}$ per maximum local SAR efficiencies as well as the RF-shimming capability. The numerical and experimental results are obtained and compared for a homogeneous phantom as well as for a real human models confirmed by in-vivo experiments.

Metasurfaces are artificial electromagnetic boundaries or interfaces usually implemented as two-dimensional periodic structures with subwavelength periodicity and engineered properties of constituent unit cells. The electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) effect in metasurfaces prevents all surface modes from propagating in a certain frequency band. While metasurfaces provide a number of important applications in microwave antennas and antenna arrays, their features are also highly suitable for MRI applications. In this work we manufacture and experimentally study finite samples based on mushroom-type EBG metasurfaces and employ them for suppression of inter-element coupling in dipole transmit coil arrays for body imaging at 7T. We show experimentally that employment of the samples EBG leads to reduction of coupling between adjacent closely-spaced dipole antenna elements of a 7T transmit/receive body array, which reduces scattering losses in neighboring channels and thereby improves the B1+ efficiency. The setup consists of two fractionated dipole antennas previously designed by the authors for body imaging at 7 Tesla. These are placed on top of a body-mimicking phantom and equipped with the manufactured finite-size sample of the metasurface tuned to have EBG properties at the Larmor frequency of 298 MHz. To improve the detection range of the B1+ field distribution of the top elements, four additional elements were positioned along the bottom side of the phantom. Scattering matrix measurements show that coupling between the two top elements is indeed reduced while the measurements performed on a 7T MRI machine confirm the array's B1+ efficiency improvement due to reduced scattering losses. This study provides a tool for the decoupling of dipole antennas in ultrahigh field transmit arrays, possibly resulting in denser element placement and/or larger subject-element spacing.