Coding Metasurfaces and Applications

Abstract

Metasurfaces are the planar counterparts of metamaterials, and they consist of a singlelayer or a few-layers stack of planar structures, which can be fabricated using lithography and nanoprinting methods. Such artificial structures are usually described by effective medium parameters at the macroscopic scale. In this chapter, we deal with "coding metasurfaces," composed of only two types of unit cells, with 0 and π phase responses, from which electromagnetic (EM) waves can be manipulated and different functionalities can be realized. We review the recent progress in the physics of metasurfaces operating at wavelengths ranging from microwave to visible. We provide an overview of key metasurface concepts, such as diffusion, anomalous reflection and refraction, and introduce metasurfaces based on some optimization methods to design metasurfaces, as well as their use in wave-front shaping and beam-forming applications, followed by a discussion of polarization conversion in few-layer metasurfaces and their related properties. An overview of diffusion coding metasurface reveals their ability to realize unique functionalities to reduce the radar cross-section (RCS). We also describe diffusion coding metasurfaces that can improve the field uniformity in reverberation chambers. Finally, we conclude by providing our opinions on opportunities and challenges in this rapidly developing research field.