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In this paper, a polarization-insensitive magnetic tunable perfect metamaterial absorber is analyzed which shows its functionality as a refractive index (RI) sensor. The unit cell structure of reported absorber consists of a cross-shaped Indium Arsenide (InAs) array over aluminum ground plane and has dimensions less than λ c / 4 with thickness of 7.5 μ m and periodicity of 9 μ m making it an ultra-thin absorber. The proposed absorber provides an average absorption of 99.99% on the implementation of magnetic field (B) at 0.4 T. The resonance frequency and corresponding absorption rates can be controlled by varying the magnetic field from B = 0. 1 –0.4 T which provides high absorption as well as shift in the frequency spectrum by 0.3 THz/T. Additionally, parametric analysis has also been done to confirm the selection of the optimum value of the designed parameters of the structure. Furthermore, simulation results reveal that the proposed structure is very sensitive to the change of RI values in the surroundings thus, the proposed structure can be employed as a RI sensor high sensitivity of 1.083 THz/RIU over the range of 1–1.6 RI. In addition, the result shows that the sensor can detect different chemical compounds such as ethanol, gasoline, paraffin, sodium chloride, carbon disulfide with an average sensitivity of 0.925 THz/RIU. Thus, the proposed absorber with obtained sensitivity can be utilized as a biochemical sensor, making it one of the best contenders for chemical industry uses in diagnosis of different hazardous chemicals as well as finding its applicability in biomedical uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metamaterial design approaches, which integrate structural elements into material systems, enable the control of uncommon behaviours by decoupling local and global properties. Leveraging this conceptual framework, metamaterial adhesives incorporate nonlinear cut architectures into adhesive films to achieve unique combinations of adhesion capacity, release, and spatial tunability by controlling how cracks propagate forward and in reverse directions during separation. Here, metamaterial adhesive designs are explored with triangular cut features while integrating hierarchical and secondary cut patterns among primary nonlinear cuts. Both cut geometry and secondary cut features tune adhesive force capacity and energy of separation. Importantly, the size and spacing of cut features must be designed around a critical length scale. When secondary cut features are greater than a critical length, cracks can be steered in multiple directions, going both forward and backwards within a primary attachment element. This control over crack dynamics enhances the work of separation by a factor of 1.5, while maintaining the peel force relative to a primary cut. If hierarchical cut features are too small or too compliant, they interact and do not distinctly modify crack behaviour. This work highlights the importance of adhesive length scales and stiffness for crack control and attachment characteristics in adhesive films. This article is part of the theme issue 'Origami/Kirigami-inspired structures: from fundamentals to applications'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper elaborates on the wave propagation characteristics of a smart sandwich plate consisting of smart piezo composite layers on a plate's upper and lower borders via an auxetic core. This study's equation of motion was derived using a refined version of the Shear-deformation theory at a higher order, or HSDT. Additionally, detecting the properties of the auxetic core and piezoelectric composite layers employs a micromechanical model. The fundamental equations of the smart sandwich plates were formulated utilizing the Hamiltonian principle and Maxwell's law. Then, the governing equations of a sandwich plate are solved using an exponential form and an analytical method. Furthermore, the phase velocity of the intelligent sandwich plate is provided based on the layer thicknesses of the auxetic core and thicknesses of intelligent piezoelectric composite layers. In addition, each figure calculates and presents the weight of the Winkler–Pasternak coefficient, the viscoelastic substances factor, the source of the outside electricity, and the volume percent of reinforcement in the matrix on the phase velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nHIGHLIGHTSAs a special branch of metamaterials characterized by phase discontinuity, elastic metasurfaces have presented extraordinary capacity for elastic wave manipulation. This class of metamaterials has received extensive attention in recent years. In this paper, a subwavelength elastic metasurface with locally resonant prisms is employed to steer the propagation of the A0 Lamb wave. Based on the dispersion curve and transmission ratio, we establish that the resonant feature of prisms is influenced by the diagonal ratio of cross section. By gradually tuning the diagonal ratio of prism cross section, the pattern of resonance modes and the mechanism of resonance superposition are clarified. In this regard, two different resonant modes can be superimposed at a certain frequency. A complete 2π phase shift that is crucial for redirecting wave propagation can therefore be realized. To have a broader working frequency range, the influence of prism height on the resonance superposed frequency and the effect of plate thickness on the incident flexural wave are explored. Based on the generalized Snell’s law, negative refraction is verified numerically through a metasurface assembled from unit cells with constant phase change. In addition, other wavefront modulations such as eccentric focusing, nonparaxial propagation are also demonstrated. This novel design introduces new degrees of freedom in many engineering applications such as seismic wave protection, structural health monitoring and energy harvesting.Proposing a novel subwavelength prismatic metasurface at mm-scale capable of operating in the kHz frequency range.Introducing an approach for altering the resonant mode frequency of building block.Establishing mechanism of resonant mode frequency variation and superposition.Realizing full phase span from 0 to 2π by superimposing of compression and bending modes.Demonstrating abnormal wavefront control for flexural wave by novel prismatic metasurfaces, such as negative refraction, eccentric focusing, parabolic and curvilinear wave trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve low frequency vibration and noise reduction, researchers have found and explored many types of metamaterial structures. Based on this, an innovative multiphase metamaterial structure composed of hard materials and soft materials is proposed in this paper. According to Bloch's theorem, the band gap characteristics of the proposed structure are calculated using the finite element method, and the formation mechanism of the band gap is analyzed. In addition, the effects of the stiffness and density of the two materials on the band gap are studied in detail. Then, the phase velocity, group velocity and wave propagation direction are calculated according to a certain frequency of the specific dispersion curve, and the important information of wave propagation in the structure is obtained. Finally, according to the transmission characteristics of vibration in a finite periodic structure, it is verified that the existence of band gap can inhibit the vibration transmission, and it is further clarified that the proposed structure has a good performance in the design of low-frequency band gaps with large amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article extends recently developed finite variation sensitivity analysis (FVSA) approaches to an inverse homogenization problem. The design of metamaterials with prescribed mechanical properties is stated as a discrete density‐based topology optimization problem, in which the design variables define the microstructure of the periodic base cell. The FVSA consists in estimating the finite variations of the objective and constraint functions after independently switching the state of each variable. It is used to properly linearize the functions of binary variables so the optimization problem can be solved through sequential integer linear programming. Novel sensitivity expressions were developed and it was shown that they are more accurate than the ones conventionally used in literature. Referred to as the conjugate gradient sensitivity (CGS) approach, the proposed strategy was quantitatively evaluated through numerical examples. In these examples, metamaterials with prescribed homogenized Poisson's ratios and minimal homogenized Young's moduli were obtained. A hexagonal base cell with dihedral D3$$ {D}_3 $$ symmetry was used to produce only metamaterials with isotropic properties. It was shown that, by using the CGS approach instead of the conventional sensitivity analysis, the sensitivity error was substantially reduced for the considered problem. The proposed developments effectively improved the stability and robustness of the discrete optimization procedures. In all the considered examples, when more accurate sensitivity analyses were performed, the parameters of the topology optimization method could be tuned more easily, yielding effective solutions even if the settings were not ideal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a symmetrical reduced-size eight-element MIMO antenna array with high electromagnetic isolation among radiators. The array utilizes easy-to-build techniques to cover the n77 and n78 new radio (NR) bands. It is based on an octagonal double-negative metamaterial split-ring resonator (SRR), which enables a size reduction of over 50% for the radiators compared to a conventional disc monopole antenna by increasing the slow-wave factor. Additionally, due to the extreme proximity between the radiating elements in the array, the modal significance (MS) method was employed to identify which propagation modes had the most impact on the electromagnetic coupling among elements. This approach aimed to mitigate their effect by using an electromagnetic barrier, thereby enhancing electromagnetic isolation. The electromagnetic barriers, implemented with strip lines, achieved isolation values exceeding 20 dB for adjacent elements (<0.023 λ) and approaching 40 dB for opposite ones (<0.23 λ) after analyzing the surface current distribution by the MS method. The elements are arranged in axial symmetry, forming an octagon with each antenna port located on a side. The array occupies an area of 0.32 λ2 at 3.5 GHz, significantly smaller than previously published works. It exhibits excellent performance for MIMO applications, demonstrating an envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) below 0.0001, a total active reflection coefficient (TARC) lower than −10 dB for various incoming signals with random phases, and a diversity gain (DG) close to 20 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suppression of low-frequency vibration and noise has always been an important issue in a wide range of engineering applications. To address this concern, a novel square hierarchical honeycomb metamaterial capable of reducing low-frequency noise has been developed. By combining Bloch's theorem with the finite element method, the band structure is calculated. Numerical results indicate that this metamaterial can produce multiple low-frequency bandgaps within 500 Hz, with a bandgap ratio exceeding 50%. The first bandgap spans from 169.57 Hz to 216.42 Hz. To reveal the formation mechanism of the bandgap, a vibrational mode analysis is performed. Numerical analysis demonstrates that the bandgap is attributed to the suppression of elastic wave propagation by the vibrations of the structure's two protruding corners and overall expansion vibrations. Additionally, detailed parametric analyses are conducted to investigate the effect of θ, i.e., the angle between the protruding corner of the structure and the horizontal direction, on the band structures and the total effective bandgap width. It is found that reducing θ is conducive to obtaining lower frequency bandgaps. The propagation characteristics of elastic waves in the structure are explored by the group velocity, phase velocity, and wave propagation direction. Finally, the transmission characteristics of a finite periodic structure are investigated experimentally. The results indicate significant acceleration amplitude attenuation within the bandgap range, confirming the structure's excellent low-frequency vibration suppression capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing and fabricating a directional coupler with composite right/left-hand (CRLH) transmission lines with a coupling level of 15 dB is presented in this paper. Compared to conventional couplers, this asymmetric structure has achieved this coupling level compared to the simple transmission line. This structure is comprised of interdigital capacitors and short connection stubs. The distance between two coupled lines is equal to 0.4 mm, and the stubs are spirally designed to compress the structure. The subs' length is approximately equal to λ/4, and the impedance of the ports is equal to 50 Ω. After designing and simulating, the coupler was fabricated and measured. The directional coupler at the frequency of 1.9 GHz has an isolation level of 44 dB and a directivity of 67.1 dB. Overall, construction and simulation results are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a ferrite-filled rectangular waveguide as a balanced composite right/left-handed (CRLH) transmission line is considered. Based on the surface current density of dominant mode, a centerline longitudinal slot on the broad wall of this ferrite-filled rectangular waveguide can be radiate to the free space as a leaky-wave antenna (LWA). This proposed LWA has the both capability of the fixed-bias frequency scanning and fixed-frequency bias scanning from negative to positive angles. However, the gain of the centerline slotted ferrite-filled rectangular waveguide antenna is not acceptable. By adding another slot and changing the position of slots on the broad wall, the gain is improved to more than 9 dB in frequency range of 6.59–6.69 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces are opening promising flexibilities to reshape the wavefront of electromagnetic waves. Notable optical phenomena are observed with the tailored surface plasmon, which is excited by metallic components in the visible spectrum. However, metamaterial or metasurface devices utilizing metallic materials encounter the challenge of low transmission efficiency, particularly within the visible spectrum. This study proposes a multilayer design strategy to enhance their transmission efficiency. By incorporating additional metal layers for improvements in the transmission efficiency and dielectric layers as spacers, cavities are formed along the propagation direction, enabling the modulation of transmittance and reflection through a process mimicking destructive interference. An analytical model simplified with the assumption of deep-subwavelength-thick metal layers is proposed to predict the structural parameters with optimized transmittance. Numerical studies employing the rigorous coupled wave analysis method confirmed that the additional metal layers significantly improve the transmittance. The introduction of the extra metal and dielectric layers enhances the transmission efficiency in specific spectral regions, maintaining a controllable passband and transmittance. The results indicate that the precise control over the layers' thicknesses facilitates the modulation of peak-to-valley ratios and the creation of comb-like filters, which can be further refined through controlled random variation in the thickness. Furthermore, when the thickness of the silver layer followed an arithmetic sequence, a multilayer structure with a transmittance of approximately 80% covering the entire visible spectrum could be achieved. Significantly, the polarization extinction ratio and the phase delay of the incident beams could still be modulated by adjusting the geometrical structure and parameters of the multilayer metamaterial for diversified functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared metamaterial absorbers underpin many entrenched scientific and technical applications, including radiative cooling, energy harvesting, infrared detectors, and microbolometers. However, achieving both perfect and ultra-broadband absorption remains an unmet scientific challenge because the traditional metamaterial absorber strategy suffers from complex multi-sized resonators and multiple meta-element patterns. We demonstrate a simple ultra-broadband infrared metamaterial absorber consisting of tilted graphite wires and an Al reflector. The proposed tilted wires-based metamaterial (TWM) absorber exhibits absorption of above 0.95 across the middle to very long-wavelength infrared spectrum (3–30 µm). By increasing the aspect ratio, the bandwidth can be expanded and achieve near-perfect absorption in the 3–50 μm spectral range. The excellent infrared absorptance performance primarily originates from the ohmic loss induced by the electromagnetic coupling between neighboring tilted wires. Furthermore, we propose a typical three-layer equivalent model featuring a resonator/insulator/reflector configuration that requires more than 84 resonant cavities to obtain comparable infrared absorptance. Our high-performance TWM absorber could accelerate the development of next-generation infrared thermal emitters and devices and other technologies that require infrared absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift to higher orbits requires larger space structures that are assembled on-orbit. These large space structures experience problematic vibrations at low frequencies, especially during robotic assembly in space. Beyond active vibration control, which is expensive and often infeasible, current passive mitigation strategies are limited. Here, struts of the space frame are transformed to resonant metamaterials via periodically placed resonators along their length, providing a pathway for energy exhaustion. Simple and multi-degree of freedom resonators were successfully applied to struts to mitigate vibrations of frequencies <500 Hz. In frames, a dependence on resonator layout relative to the excitation point is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces can replace bulk optical components in a more compact form factor in applications including communication systems, sensors, and manufacturing technology. However, their design and fabrication is challenging due to competing demands of selecting meta-atoms that simultaneously provide the required amplitude and phase modulation while being robust to fabrication errors. Here, we develop two design heuristics to assist with the down-selection of meta-atoms into sensitivity-informed libraries, based on either selecting meta-atoms with minimal sensitivity or minimizing the relative sensitivities between meta-atoms. We evaluate both methods on a polarization-dependent phase mask and compare the resulting phase and intensity errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Materials Engineering / Cailiao Gongcheng is the property of Journal of Materials Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A metamaterial-based non-uniform dipole array antenna is presented for high gain 5G millimeter-wave applications with a wideband characteristic. Initially, a non-uniform dipole array is designed on a 0.202 mm thick Rogers RO4003C substrate, offering a wide operating bandwidth ranging from 23.1 GHz to 44.8 GHz. The dipole array antenna emits unidirectional end-fire radiation with a maximum gain of 8.1 dBi and an average gain of 6.7 dBi. Subsequently, to achieve high gain performance, a 5 × 7 metamaterial structure is designed in the direction of the antenna radiation. The implemented metamaterial structure is optimized for the operating frequency, enhancing the directivity of the antenna radiation and resulting in a gain increment of more than 3 dBi compared to the dipole array alone. The developed metamaterial-integrated dipole array antenna offers an operating bandwidth (S11 < −10 dB) of more than 21 GHz (63.92%), ranging from 23.1 GHz to 44.8 GHz, covering the most commonly used 5G millimeter-wave frequency bands (n257, n258, n259, n260, and n261). Furthermore, the presented antenna yields a stable high gain with a peak gain of 11.21 dBi and a good radiation efficiency of more than 64%. The proposed antenna is an excellent option for millimeter-wave 5G systems due to its overall properties, particularly its high gain and end-fire radiation characteristics, combined with a wide operating bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlocking metasurfaces (ILMs) are arrays of autogenous latching unit cells patterned across a surface. These create structural joints similar to bioinspired suture joints but patterned over a 2D surface rather than a 1D seam. This enables ILMs to be an alternative to conventional joining technologies such as bolts, welds, and adhesives. However, compared to conventional joining methods, relatively little is known of the engineering considerations for designing structural ILMs. Herein, the interfacial toughness of an archetypal ILM is examined for the first time. Under the conditions studied here, the ILM is substantially tougher than the material from which it is made, in this case, exhibiting up to a 50% increase in interfacial crack initiation energy over the solid base material, a photocured 3D‐printed polymer. Through experimental tests using in‐situ digital image correlation along with complementary computational analyses, the mechanism of toughening in the ILM structure and the origins of toughness anisotropy are revealed. The increase in toughness is associated with cross‐cell interactions, that is, load‐sharing across unit cells, which give rise to a finite process zone length with different effective material properties. In this way, ILM toughening is analogous to crack blunting in ductile materials or fiber bridging in composites; yet here, the ILM is composed of a single‐phase base material and so the architected toughening is geometric in nature and hence amenable to future topological optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to provide an application example of using metamaterials for elastic wave manipulation inside a nonlinear waveguide. The concept of phase-gradient metasurfaces, in the form of artificially architectured structures/materials, is adopted in nonlinear-guided-wave-based structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. Specifically, the second harmonic lowest-order antisymmetric Lamb waves (2nd A0 waves), generated by the mutual interaction between primary symmetric (S) mode and antisymmetric (A) mode waves, show great promise for local incipient damage monitoring. However, the mixing strength is adversely affected by the wave beam divergence, which compromises the 2nd A0 wave generation, especially in the far field. To tackle this problem, a metasurface is designed to tactically enhance the 2nd A0 waves through manipulating the phases and amplitudes of both primary waves simultaneously. After theoretically revealing the features of the 2nd A0 wave generation in a weakly nonlinear plate, an inverse-design strategy based on topology optimization is employed to tailor-make the phase gradient while ensuring the high transmission of the primary waves, thus converting the diverging cylindrical waves into quasi-plane waves. The efficacy of the design is tested in a 2nd-A0-wave-based SHM system for material degradation monitoring. Results confirm that the manipulated S and A mode waves can propagate in a quasi-planar waveform after passing the surface-mounted metasurface. Changes in material properties inside a local region of the host plate can be sensitively captured through examining the variation of the 2nd A0 wave amplitude. The concept presented here not only showcases the potential of metamaterial-enhanced 2nd A0 waves for material degradation monitoring, but also illuminates the promising direction of metamaterial-aided SHM applications in nonlinear waveguides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new high gain MIMO array antenna with limited side lobe level between 27.5 and 28.5 GHz is modeled for 5G WLAN applications. The modeled configuration involves two-port MIMO with 8-element array antenna printed on a Rogers RT Duroid-5880 dielectric material. To enhance the antenna’s radiation characteristics, each element in the radiator is excited using corporate inset feeding. The proposed model operates well in the bandwidth of 27.5 to 28.5 GHz, resonating at 28 GHz with a return loss of − 40 dB. For an array configuration, the proposed MIMO array radiator exhibits better limited side lobe level of − 7 dBi (left) and − 4 dBi (right). The MIMO array antenna with a total footprint of 123 × 61 × 0.8 mm3 offers 14 dBi gain in the operating bandwidth. Since the model is configured to be a MIMO antenna, the MIMO attributes such as isolation, TARC, diversity gain, and correlation parameters are analyzed and estimated to be around − 17.25 dB, − 24 dB, 10 dB, and 0.006, respectively, over the band of interest. The proposed model is fabricated and experimentally validated for its simulation results and is found to be in good agreement with simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on the use of waste materials to generate cost-effective microwave absorption composites. Rice husk (agricultural waste) and exhausted activated charcoal (water filter cartridge waste) were used as waste materials for microwave absorption. Both were blended in different proportions using a planetary ball mill to prepare samples. The XRF and particle size studies were carried out for element and particle size analysis, and for dielectric properties measurement, a vector network analyzer was used. The findings reveal the microwave absorption in the frequency range of 2 to 18 GHz by the blended composites. Sample RHC-11 with 20% exhausted activated charcoal showed a maximum reflection loss of − 38.3 dB at 12 GHz. For further improvement in microwave absorption, the dielectric characteristics of the composites were utilized to develop a layered metamaterial-based microwave absorber. The layered metamaterial is a unique and simple patch design that displays good microwave absorption > 90% and absorbs 99.34% of microwave energy at 16 GHz frequency. The developed metamaterial-based microwave absorber shows an absorption bandwidth of 6.60 GHz with a thickness of 2.3 mm. In addition, the proposed structure is independent of the oblique incidence angle and polarization angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a semiconductor adjustable absorber in the THz will open up new possibilities for quantum information science, imaging, health, and sensing applications, particularly those that need to be portable. Here, we build a unique semiconductor nanowire metamaterial that exhibit increased absorption efficiency at various temperatures by carefully organizing and shaping the semiconductor nanowire array. This discovery paves the way for the potential development of a new generation of THz quantum detectors that operate close to room temperature and offer exceptional improved absorption for a broader variety of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we achieved energy localization and amplification of flexural vibrations by utilizing the defect mode of plate-attachable locally resonant metamaterials, thereby realizing compact and low-frequency vibration energy suppression and energy harvesting with enhanced output performance. We designed a cantilever-based metamaterial unit cell to induce local resonance inside a periodic supercell structure and form a bandgap within the targeted low-frequency range of 300–450 Hz. Subsequently, a defect area was created by removing some unit cells to break the periodicity inside the metamaterial, which led to the isolation and localization of the vibration energy. This localized vibration energy was simultaneously converted into electrical energy by a piezoelectric energy harvester coupled with a metamaterial inside the defect area. Consequently, a substantially enhanced energy harvesting output power was achieved at 360 Hz, which was 43-times higher than that of a bare plate without metamaterials. The proposed local resonant metamaterial offers a useful and multifunctional platform with the capability of vibration energy isolation and harvesting, while exhibiting easy handling via attachable designs that can be tailored in the low-frequency regime. Highlights: • Compact multifunctional vibration isolation-energy harvesting metastructures based on a low-frequency defect bandgap. • Enhanced harvesting power by a factor of 43 over a wide frequency range of 310-380 Hz • Easily mass-produced metamaterial unit cell via a laser-cutting process. • Multifunctionality, i.e., vibration isolation and harvesting, proved by a carefully-designed experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directional sources like the Huygens source enable electromagnetic wavefront forming/shaping with great flexibility and have made impacts in photonics, applied physics, metasurfaces, and antenna engineering. The related Janus source features a strongly directional near‐field and a quasi‐isotropic far‐field, which gives it promising application potentials distinct from, and complementary to, the Huygens source. Nevertheless, most existing Janus sources face strong limitations in efficiency and/or 3D operation, hindering their practical application. This paper introduces a 3D active Janus source that achieves near‐field directionality over a wide bandwidth and a power efficiency much improved over existing passive Janus sources. It is shown that a class of quasi‐isotropic antennas are actually active Janus sources (which is referred to as the Janus antenna). A well‐designed Janus antenna is demonstrated which (a) exhibits near‐field directionality over a broad bandwidth of 28.9%, and (b) in a practical usage environment, achieves a power efficiency ≈60 times higher than a passive Janus source. This work elucidates the connection between the “Janus dipole” concept in physics and the “quasi‐isotropic antenna” concept in antenna design, and paves the way for the design of future directional devices with much improved bandwidth and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of metamaterial recently emerged as a new frontier of scientific research, encompassing physics, materials science and engineering. In a broad sense, a metamaterial indicates an engineered material with exotic properties not found in nature, obtained by appropriate architecture either at macro-scale or at micro-/nano-scales. The architecture of metamaterials can be tailored to open unforeseen opportunities for mechanical and acoustic applications, as demonstrated by an impressive and increasing number of studies. Building on this knowledge, this theme issue aims to gather cutting-edge theoretical, computational and experimental studies on elastic and acoustic metamaterials, with the purpose of offering a wide perspective on recent achievements and future challenges. This article is part of the theme issue, 'Current developments in elastic and acoustic metamaterials science (Part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural lattices with quasi-periodic patterns possess interesting dynamic features that can be exploited to control, localize and redirect propagating waves. In this work, we show that the properties of a large class of quasi-periodic locally resonant systems (approximated as periodic, with arbitrarily large period) can be performed by defining an equivalent discrete system. Several properties of wave propagation can a priori be demonstrated with reference to this system. Results in terms of bulk spectrum, showing the Hofstadter butterfly pattern, and of topological modes are then discussed in detail with reference to a simple example of quasi-periodic lattice. This article is part of the theme issue 'Current developments in elastic and acoustic metamaterials science (Part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional metamaterials endowed with two-dimensional in-plane periodicity exhibit peculiar thermoelastic behaviour when heated or cooled. By proper design of the unit cell, the equivalent thermal expansion coefficient can be programmed and can also reach negative values. The heterogeneity in the third direction of such metamaterials also causes, in general, a thermal-induced deflection. The prediction of the equivalent thermal properties is important to design the metamaterial suitable for a specific application. Under the hypothesis of small thickness with respect to the global in-plane dimensions, we make use of asymptotic homogenization to describe the thermoelastic behaviour of these metamaterials as that of an equivalent homogenous plate. The method provides explicit expressions for the effective thermal properties, which allow for a cost-effective prediction of the thermoelastic response of these metaplates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present the design and experimental validation of a labyrinthine metamaterial for vibro-acoustic applications. Based on a two-dimensional unit cell, different designs of finite-size metamaterial specimens in a sandwich configuration including two plates are proposed. The design phase includes an optimization based on Bloch-Floquet analysis with the aims of maximizing the band gap and extruding the specimens in the third dimension while keeping the absorption properties almost unaffected. By manufacturing and experimentally testing finite-sized specimens, we assess their capacity to mitigate vibrations in vibro-impact tests. The experiments confirm a band gap in the low- to mid-frequency range. Numerical models are employed to validate the experiments and to examine additional vibro-acoustic load cases. The metamaterial's performances are compared with benchmark solutions, usually employed for noise and vibration mitigation, showing a comparable efficacy in the band gap region. To eventually improve the metamaterial's performance, we optimize its interaction with the air and test different types of connections between the metamaterial and the homogeneous plates. This finally leads to metamaterial samples largely exceeding the benchmark performances in the band gap region and reveals the potential of interfaces for performance optimization of composed structures. This article is part of the theme issue 'Current developments in elastic and acoustic metamaterials science (Part 1)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many deployable structures in nature, as well as human-made mechanisms, preserve symmetry as their configurations evolve. Examples in nature include blooming flowers, dilation of the iris within the human eye, viral capsid maturation and molecular and bacterial motors. Engineered examples include opening umbrellas, elongating scissor jacks, variable apertures in cameras, expanding Hoberman spheres and some kinds of morphing origami structures. In these cases, the structures either preserve a discrete symmetry group or are described as an evolution from one discrete symmetry group to another of the same type as the structure deploys. Likewise, elastic metamaterials built from lattice structures can also preserve symmetry type while passively deforming and changing lattice parameters. A mathematical formulation of such transitions/deployments is articulated here. It is shown that if X is Euclidean space, G is a continuous group of motions of Euclidean space and Γ is the type of the discrete subgroup of G describing the symmetries of the deploying structure, then the symmetry of the evolving structure can be described by time-dependent subgroups of G of the form Γαt:=αtΓαt−1 , where αt is a time-dependent affine transformation. Then, instead of considering the whole structure in X , a 'sector' of it that lives in the orbit space Γαt\X can be considered at each instant in time, and instead of considering all motions in G , only representatives from right cosets in the space Γαt\G need to be considered. This article is part of the theme issue 'Current developments in elastic and acoustic metamaterials science (Part 1)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we propose a sensing scheme based on an all-dielectric metamaterial with the smooth reflection and transmission spectral lines in 10-60THz, and verify the applications of the measuring the resonance characteristics of Xuan paper samples. The reflection and thermal conductivity of Xuan paper samples enhance with the concentration of alum water increasing and weaken due to the thickness increasing. These results provide a solid foundation for this metamaterials in measuring the reflective and thermal resonance properties of Xuan paper samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice structures with customizable acoustical and mechanical properties show significant promise as practical engineering materials. However, the geometry of traditional lattice structures simultaneously dictates both acoustical and mechanical properties, with alterations in one impacting the other, leaving little room for customization. Herein, leveraging the mechanism of Helmholtz resonators, a general recipe is presented to independently introduce sound absorption and mechanical properties in lattice structures. The sound absorption component is based on a perforated plate, while the mechanical component is based on a truss structure. Through a high‐fidelity analytical acoustics model is developed, and finite element analysis outlines the range of properties achievable through the proposed structures. The design encompasses structures with effective absorption, characterized by a resonance peak with coefficient ≥0.7, across almost every frequency in a broad range from 1000 to 5000 Hz, within a range of lattice thicknesses from 21 to 25.5 mm. Also, diverse range of stiffness and strength, and large‐strain deformation modes, can be achieved through the implementation of different trusses. Finally, the concept is validated experimentally through 3D‐printed samples. This innovative approach allows for the tailored creation of lattice structures that specifically address the acoustical and mechanical requirements in diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a metamaterial with reconfigurable effective properties, intended to operate in alternating magnetic fields. The structure of a resonator, based on a series connection of a planar inductor and a lumped capacitor, is expanded using an additional capacitor with a MOSFET transistor. Due to the presence of the controllable active element, it is possible to dynamically change the phase of the current flowing through a meta-cell and shift a frequency response within an assumed range. Since the transistor is driven by the unipolar square wave with a changeable duty cycle and time delay, two closed-loop controllers were utilized to achieve a smart material, able to automatically attain and maintain the imposed resonant frequency. As a result, the complex effective magnetic permeability of the metamaterial can be smoothly changed, during its operation, via an electrical signal, i.e. by adjusting the parameters of a control signal of the active element. The design of the meta-cell, as well as the measuring, data operation and control part, are presented in detail. An illustrative system is examined in terms of achieving the user-defined resonance point of the metamaterial. Transient responses with estimated settling times and steady-state errors and the effective permeability characteristics for the exemplary cases are shown. The meta-cell is also tested experimentally to validate the theoretically determined effective properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, thermal imaging and sensing technologies have seen dramatic increases in usage for a range of applications. However, the material cost and manufacturing complexity of infrared optics remain a major barrier toward their democratization. Here, a solution‐processed plasmonic reflective filter (PRF) is presented as a scalable, disordered, and low‐cost thermal infrared (TIR) optic. The PRF selectively absorbs sunlight and specularly reflects TIR wavelengths, with a performance comparable to state‐of‐the‐art infrared optics made of materials like Germanium. Unlike the latter, however, the PRF is fabricated using low‐cost materials and a "dip‐and‐dry" chemical synthesis technique, which enables orders of magnitude lower manufacturing costs. The PRF's optical functionality and integration into infrared imaging systems are experimentally demonstrated. The chemical synthesis technique also affords exceptional spectral tuneability and material compatibility compared to traditional fabrication methods. The PRF's tuneable and broadband TIR yield can be augmented by inexpensive dielectric or polymeric filters to yield novel capabilities such as wide‐area ambient temperature surveys. Practically, the PRF represents a significant advance toward democratizing the benefits of thermal imaging and sensing. Scientifically, it represents a previously unexplored optical functionality of disordered materials, and a new direction for versatile chemical synthesis in designing optical components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new, high‐gain, high‐efficiency, long‐range passive metamaterial UHF‐RFID tag is proposed. Measuring 16.1 × 8.1 × 1.6 cm, it integrates a modified taper‐shaped dipole antenna with the NXP UCODE 8 chip and an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) structure shaped like a double open‐end wrench. This cost‐effective tag achieves read ranges comparable to those of battery‐assisted passive (BAP) tags, up to 64.7 m in a shipping container at 918 MHz and 56.7 m in free space at 928 MHz. Theoretical analysis shows moderate agreement with experimental validation in an anechoic chamber and outdoors. The proposed tag addresses challenging scenarios, enabling previously unattainable passive RFID applications. It supports vessel detection in maritime environments, with potential uses in automated access control at bridges, gates, and locks in smart waterways and premier marinas. It also supports multivehicle detection, allowing applications, such as streamlining emergency services and smart city traffic management. Furthermore, its capability extends to smart hangar applications, such as automatic updates to pilots' electronic logbooks and aircraft supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Architected materials exhibit unique properties and functionalities based on the geometric arrangement of their constituent materials. In most cases, these parameters are fixed, requiring that the system be redesigned and reconstructed if different properties are desired. Both stimuli‐responsive materials and modular designs have been used to enable re‐programmable properties in the past, but often have limitations, such as the need for a continuous application of external stimuli or power, or unwanted global morphing. In this study, a locally stable anti‐tetra chiral (LSAT) metamaterial is introduced consisting of independently multistable units that can deform and change state without inducing changes in the global morphology. Adjacent cells are only weakly coupled, allowing the collective metamaterial to be switched between many different possible states. Local bistability enables re‐programmable heterogeneity, such as the snapping of cells along an edge or diagonally within the architected material. Utilizing finite element analysis (FEA), the influence of key geometric parameters on the re‐programmability of the metamaterials is systematically investigated. The effect of these parameters on properties such as shear stiffness, Poisson's ratio, and vibration are also investigated using experimental prototypes. This re‐programmable metamaterial promises to expand the design space for mechanical systems, with potential applications in non‐traditional computation, robotic actuation, and adaptive structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the differences in the barbed structures of some plant stems and cat tongues in different directions, a reusable and easy-to-recover barbed metamaterial was designed, with its mechanical properties analyzed theoretically and numerically. The results show that, in the reciprocating motion of the barbs, when the barb rectangular section sizes are 1 mm × 1 mm, the length is 20 mm, and the angle with the vertical direction is 60°, the maximum reaction force in the forward contact process with the blocking rib will be about 20 times of the maximum reaction force in the reverse contact process, and the former energy consumption is about 200 times of the latter. With the decrease of the angle between the barb and the vertical direction, the barb structure will exhibit a higher energy absorption capacity and a reduced energy requirement for recovery. Similarly, with the increase of the barb length, the structure energy absorption will be lower and the energy required for recovery will reduce. These characteristics indicate that, the structure possesses excellent impact resistance and energy absorption capacity. Structures with significant energy disparities between forward and backward motions are more easily recoverable, and the energy absorption efficiency can be enhanced by carefully designing the angles and lengths of the barbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene-based metamaterial absorbers are increasingly popular for developing various reconfigurable and electrically tunable optical devices, especially in the terahertz (THz) range. This paper aims to design a broadband THz metamaterial absorber (MMA) based on graphene. The proposed absorber consists of a patterned graphene surface layer, a dielectric layer, and a bottom metallic film. The patterned graphene surface layer is composed of two parts with different slots to induce multiple plasmonic resonances. CST simulation results show that the bandwidth with an absorption efficiency exceeding 95% is 3.12 THz, ranging from 4.01 to 7.13 THz. We validated the simulation results using multi-reflection interference theory. To explore the physical mechanisms of broadband absorption, the distribution of the surface electric field in the structure was studied. We also found that the absorber exhibits polarization insensitivity and wide-angle incidence characteristics. The absorption frequency of the absorber can be tuned by changing the chemical potential of graphene. Some notable features of the proposed absorber include the maximum bandwidth and minimal unit cell size of a single-layer absorber without sacrificing polarization insensitivity or amplitude tunability. Besides, the absorber has a thickness of 7.2 μm and a unit cell period of 4 μm, thus its structure is very compact in comparison with most previous MMAs. This proposed MMA has potential applications in terahertz detection, filtering, imaging and stealth technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of a transition metal nitride, Vanadium Nitride (VN), in designing a nanostructured absorber for infrared wavelengths. A simple and plain nano circular ring composed of VN is printed over a metal-backed lossy substrate to implement broadband absorber. The proposed VN-based absorber offers an exceptional absorption characteristic across the large operating wavelength from 1000 to 2400 nm with an absorption threshold of 90%. The absorption properties of this VN absorber have also been analyzed by varying the oblique angles of the optical light and it exhibits a good absorption value of more than 70% even at θ = 60°. Due to the symmetry in the nano-ring of VN, it also achieves the polarization-insensitive response by varying the rotation angles (polarization angles). Moreover, the multi-reflection interference theory has been introduced to verify the simulation results of the proposed VN-absorber. Because of its thermal robustness, mechanical stability, and wide absorption bandwidth, it holds promise for applications in solar cells and thermophotovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polygonal honeycomb core has been vertically rotated and spliced to form a new three-dimensional polygonal honeycomb (TPH) structure lattice. Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio for the three main directions of the TPH structure had been derived from Castigliano's second theorem and Moore's theorem. The theoretical results show good agreement with the numerical and experimental results. Meanwhile, the compressive strength of the TPH structure has been analyzed. The results show that the geometric parameters have a significant effect on the elasticity and strength of TPH structures, and the mechanical properties of the TPH structures can be programmed by adjusting the geometric parameters. In addition, the TPH structure exhibits a bidirectional zero Poisson's ratio (ZPR) during compression. This structure shows promise for applications in aerospace, construction, and other fields. This study provides guidance for further research on polygonal honeycomb structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of 3D printing, polymer derived ceramics, and electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption metamaterials is particularly useful for spacecraft stealth in extreme environments and is gradually gaining significant interest. While the 3D printing of SiOC has been extensively researched, the high temperature stability and mechanical performance of SiOC are not as favorable as SiCN. However, it remains challenging to prepare SiCN metamaterials with both high mechanical and microwave absorption properties by 3D printing. Herein, we demonstrate a SiCN EMW absorption metamaterial with high mechanical properties using digital light processing 3D printing, which achieves a minimum reflection loss of −31.01 dB (99.9 % absorption), and the widest effective absorption bandwidth covers the entire X-band from 8.2 to 12.4 GHz. And the EMW absorption performance can be adjusted based on the size of the unit structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose a high-temperature radar-absorbing structure that combines the ceramic material (YSZ, yttria-stabilized zirconia) with a metamaterial (SRR, split-ring resonator) structure without including additional lossy materials. Although metals typically reflect electromagnetic waves, we found that adjusting the shape of the 3D metal structure and placing dielectric materials in between can impart wave-absorption functionality. The shape of the metamaterial pattern structure was designed using the commercial program CST Studio Suite. The SRR structure was fabricated using metal 3D printing, and YSZ was coated onto the fabricated metal structure using thermal spraying techniques. The proposed radar-absorbing structure was verified using free space measurement equipment, demonstrating a reflection loss characteristic of less than −10 dB over a bandwidth of approximately 0.8 GHz within the X-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With advances in terahertz technology, achieving high and nearly constant birefringence over a wide frequency range plays an extreme role in many advanced applications. In the past decade, significant research efforts have been devoted to creating new systems or elements with high birefringence. To our knowledge, the maximum birefringence attainable using artificial crystals, intrinsic liquid crystals or fiber-based systems has been less than unity. More importantly, the birefringence created in previous studies has exhibited a strong frequency dependence, limiting their practical applications. In this work, we propose a novel approach to achieve extraordinarily high birefringence over a broad terahertz frequency band (>100 GHz). To address the limitation of frequency dependence, we combined the principle of metamaterials with the form birefringence concept. First, we designed a metamaterial with an exceptionally high refractive index, thoroughly characterizing it using simulations and analytical analysis. Next, we systematically investigated the form birefringence concept, exploring its frequency response, geometric limitations, and complex refractive index differences between constituent elements. Finally, we designed a hybrid material system, combining the strengths of both metamaterials and form birefringence. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of achieving a birefringent medium exceeding three orders of magnitude higher than previous reports while maintaining a time-invariant frequency response in the sub-terahertz regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivaroxaban, a direct oral anticoagulant, is widely used in the management and prevention of thrombotic conditions. Dose adjustments are necessary to optimize efficacy based on individual physiological differences. However, current analytical methods are impractical for clinical use due to complex sample preparation and lengthy detection times. This paper presents a terahertz (THz) metamaterial biosensor for the rapid determination of rivaroxaban within 10–15 min. The THz absorption peaks of rivaroxaban were first identified based on THz spectroscopy. Subsequently, a metamaterial structure with rotational symmetry was designed to resonate at the absorption peaks of rivaroxaban. Theoretical simulations and experimental measurements analyzed changes of the resonance peak at different rivaroxaban concentrations, including frequency shifts and amplitude variations. Based on these changes, rivaroxaban concentration can be quantified with the limits of detection (LODs) of 5.01 μmol/mL for peak shift and 1.067 μmol/mL for peak absorbance, respectively. This study presents a novel approach for the rapid determination of rivaroxaban, providing potential improvements in therapeutic drug monitoring and personalized medical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based electronics offer a simple and cost-effective means to fabricate reconfigurable devices. In response to the problem of fixed shape and single function of most antennas, which limits their applications, a reconfigurable paper-based metamaterial antenna with 2D and 3D forms is presented for tunable operating frequency. The proposed antenna consists of two square split resonant rings fed by a coplanar waveguide. The working frequency of the 2D antenna is adjusted by the length, width, and opening size of the internal open resonant ring. While the folding angle of the antenna turns from 0° to 90°, the operating frequency of the paper-based metamaterial antenna changes from 2.759 to 4.223 GHz. In terms of 3D form, an additional resonant peak is generated by bending the paper-based metamaterial antenna, thus further realizing dual-band antenna design. After a simple process flow, a series of proposed antennas are fabricated and evaluated. The simulated and measured results both demonstrate that the proposed antenna has a good performance in turning the working band. The environment-friendly nature and pliability of paper, as well as simple fabrication procedures, make paper-based metamaterial promising candidates for future green electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A perfect metamaterial absorber (MMA) using a SiO2 substrate has been designed. The suggested absorber model was created by implementing graphene as a metallic layer for the structured patch and copper in the ground plane of the design. The geometry of the prescribed absorber was finalized by cutting the rectangular and circular slots and loading the open-ended dual rings on the structure. Furthermore, the approach based on equivalent circuit modeling (ECM) with mathematical analysis for the proposed MMA is thoroughly discussed. The simulation outcome (S11) obtained with the help of CST software has been compared with the ECM analysis result. The proposed absorber shows a perfect absorbance of 99.97% at the operating frequency of 6.15 THz. The absorption characteristics of the suggested structure have been parametrically investigated as a function of oblique incidence and polarization angles. Furthermore, the designed structure has been analyzed by using various substrates and conducting materials to achieve the optimal value of the absorption peak as a percentage. Overall, the compact, ultra-thin, simple geometry of the prescribed MMA with a high absorption peak and polarization-insensitive nature makes it a suitable choice for utilization in sensing, imaging, and detection in the terahertz regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two mechanical metamaterials based on fragmentation-reconstitution (FR) deformation mechanism are designed herein not only to establish the condition of Poisson's ratio discontinuity but also to offer a simpler, and hence a technically more feasible, FR metamaterial. Each metamaterial consists of interconnected rigid rhombi with slits within every rhombus such that prescription of on-axis strain would fragment each rhombus unit into six sub-units, while a reversal of the strain would reconstitute every six sub-units into a single rhombus. By geometrical construction, the Poisson's ratio expressions of both metamaterials were developed for infinitesimal and finite deformations. Results show that each metamaterial has no unique Poisson's ratio at the original state, but instead has two distinct Poisson's ratio, with a consolidated value of −1 under compression but abruptly jumps to other values under tension. The observations made for these metamaterials suggest that each of them can behave as two different materials under tension and compression, thereby enabling them to function in ways that cannot be achieved by other materials and metamaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a dual-band bandpass microstrip filter (DBBPF) is suggested and studied for RF/microwave applications. Our filter design method is based on two basic concepts; the use of metamaterial resonators in C-shaped split rings (C-SRR) to have the left-handed behavior (LH) with minimized losses and the feed by a microstrip line of significant length folded for the desired miniaturization. The two C-SRRs are optimized for a size of 6 × 3 mm² to cover the desired frequency bands and the two feed lines have a length of 37.1 mm to ensure the necessary adaptation. The search of a strong electromagnetic coupling between the two C-SRRs and the feed lines allowed us to choose the best position to place our resonators in the filter. The simulation of the filter parameters for two different proposed configurations shows two different qualities. According to the simulation outcomes for the two proposed filter configurations, two kinds of frequency response were obtained with different characteristics. For the first configuration where the two C-SRRs are separated by the folded arms of the two feed lines, the filter response is not clear. Contrary to that, the frequency response of the filter is desirable for the second configuration. The suggested filter which is represented by the second configuration has covered both bands (5.88 to 6.39 GHz and 10.75 to 11.16 GHz) for band-pass behavior. In addition, the analysis of the dispersion diagram allowed us to select the electromagnetic behavior associated with each band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tunable mechanical metamaterial is a type that can be altered or manipulated to change its physical properties in various situations. This study introduces a novel type of metamaterial, hydro-tunable metamaterials (HTMs), which can be dynamically adjusted in real-time by filling or draining it with water. The development of HTMs has significant implications for various fields, including mechanical engineering, biomedical applications, and energy absorption. The study involves designing and manufacturing HTMs using a Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing process. The design process involves modifying an initial basic auxetic structure to create a closed and sealed structure accommodating fluid. The printed samples are then characterized using mechanical testing and finite element analysis (FEA). Experiments and simulations have found that a sample containing water behaves differently from a sample without water, resulting in an increase in stiffness. This difference can be leveraged to modify the stiffness and strength of the structure. This phenomenon is attributed to the incompressibility of water within the structure. Water exerts a hydrostatic pressure on the auxetic material, resulting in increased stiffness and resistance to compression. This technique highlights the potential of HTMs to be dynamically adjusted in real-time, leading to enhanced energy absorption and improved performance. An additional FEA was conducted to examine the impact of water pressure on the mechanical behavior of the structure. The results indicate that applying pressure or temperature to the water can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the water-filled sample.

Abstract The telecommunication wavelengths are crucial for developing a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). The absorption fingerprints of many gases lie within these spectral ranges, offering the potential to create a miniaturized gas sensor for PIC. This work presents novel double Fano resonances within the telecommunication band, based on silicon metasurfaces for selective gas sensing applications. Our proposed design comprises periodically coupled nanodisk and nanobar resonators mounted on a quartz substrate. Fano resonances can be engineered across the range from λ = 1.52 μm to λ = 1.7 μm by adjusting various geometrical parameters. A double detection sensor of carbon monoxide (CO) at λ = 1.566 μm and nitrous oxide (N2O) at λ = 1.674 μm is developed. The sensor exhibits exceptional refractometric sensitivity to CO of 1,735 nm/RIU with an outstanding FOM of 11,570 at the first Fano resonance (FR1). In addition, the sensor shows a sensitivity to N2O of 194 nm/RIU accompanied by an FOM of 510 at the second Fano resonance (FR2). The structure reveals absorption losses of 6.3% for CO at the FR1, indicating the sensor selectivity to CO. The sensor is less selective at FR2 and limited to spectral shifts induced by each gas type. Our proposed design holds significant promise for the development of a highly sensitive double-sensing refractometric photonic integrated gas sensor.

Abstract This article proposes a polarization-insensitive compact Metamaterial (MM) energy harvester that can be used seamlessly in the S-band and C-band frequencies. It is important to focus on the limitations of many current designs of harvesters, which need to be overcome. The existing devices are large and often operate in a single frequency band, while their Energy Harvesting (EH) efficiency is low. The proposed harvester solves these problems using smart technology, using a rectangle strip with two gaps, each containing 50 Ω resistors for efficient energy collecting. Also, four hexagonal ring resonators are embedded into the cross-dumbbell configuration, connecting them with strip lines. Smaller rectangular rings surround these hexagonal rings, each with gaps labelled g1–g4. Despite its sophisticated design, the size of this harvester is (10 × 10) mm2 only. This harvester operates at frequencies of 3.5 GHz and 5.5 GHz, demonstrating remarkable absorption responses across varying polarizations and incident angles in both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes. The simulation results indicated impressive energy harvesting efficiencies of 97% at 3.5 GHz and 98% at 5.5 GHz. In addition, experiments in an anechoic chamber with a 3 × 3 array (30 × 30) mm2 were used to confirm the efficiencies empirically. The simulated and measured results showed a strong correlation, confirming the reliability of the proposed design. The proposed MM harvester is distinguished by its high efficiency, polarization-insensitive behaviour, and compactness, making it very promising for many applications in EH.