Tunable magnetic metamaterial based multi-split-ring resonator (MSRR) using MEMS switch components

Abstract

The split-ring resonator (SRR) arrays are commonly used to form a negative refractive index metamaterial that exhibits an effective negative permeability. However, the region of negative permeability obtained by SRR unit cell is generally limited to a narrow bandwidth at a fixed frequency. In this paper, we present a tunable metamaterial based on multi-split-ring resonators (MSRR) with MEMS switch components to realize controllable magnetic resonant frequency. Numerical simulations are performed to validate the proposed theory and tunability. The simulated results show that the MSRR structure metamaterial can realize digital tuning mode and continuous tuning mode by controlling state and height of MEMS switch components, respectively. Moreover, the simulated results are consistent with the theoretical results, which verify that the proposed theory is effective in prediction and analysis of magnetic resonant frequency. Therefore, such a tunable metamaterial can be reconfigured into a variety of states for use in different applications.

Microelectromechanical Maltese-cross metamaterial with tunable terahertz anisotropy

“…On the contrary, metamaterials can be rationally designed to achieve optical anisotropy910111213141516171819 that can also be altered by changing the refractive index of the surrounding medium20212223 or by emplying electrical or thermal effects in liquid crystals2425. At the same time, substantial progress has been possible in developing metamaterials with unit cells reconfigurable with micro-actuators26272829303132333435. Here we report the active control of anisotropy in the terahertz spectral region in a metamaterial array of Maltese crosses driven by micro-actuators.…”

Reconfigurable nanomechanical photonic metamaterials

“…Engagement of the Coulomb force (Box 1a) allows for the development of membrane-based metamaterials controlled by electric signals, which work in the visible and near-infrared spectral bands 65 . They are orders of magnitude faster and far more compact than previously reported electrically reconfigurable THz MEMS comb-drive metamaterials ( Figure 2b) and provide a much higher degree of control than metamaterials with opaque adjustable ground plane designs [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] . Furthermore, the membrane-based metamaterials can be used in transmission and reflection modes.…”

“…This new high-throughput and silicon compatible technology benefits from related advances in nano-opto-mechanics 3 , which have led to the demonstration of thermally driven plasmonic nano-mechanical oscillators 4,5 and resonators 6 . It is being developed alongside other approaches for creating nonlinear, tuneable and switchable metamaterials from the microwave to the optical parts of the spectrum such as the phase change [7][8][9] and liquid crystal [10][11][12][13] hybrid metamaterial technologies, coherent control [14][15][16][17][18][19] , structural reconfiguration 20,21 of metamaterials based on stretchable polymer substrates [22][23][24][25][26] , MEMS [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] , microfluidics 38,39 and magnetic forces 40,41 ; carrier injection in semiconductor metamaterial substrates 42,43 and graphene 44,45 ; and superconducting metamaterials 46,47 . A comprehensive overview of these approaches is available in recent reviews 1,…”

Metamaterials and Metasurfaces: A Review from the Perspectives of Materials, Mechanisms and Advanced Metadevices

“…The strength of the dipole–dipole coupling of these MEMEs can be continuously adjusted by fine-tuning the distance between the two rings using the MEMS’ actuators, thereby enabling efficient electromagnetic adaptation reaction. The reconfiguration of the metamolecules may enable the polarization of anisotropic metamaterial to be switched independently [ 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 ].…”