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OUTLINES

EM spectrum Why Metamaterials? Introduction to Metamaterials Properties of Metamaterials How to Design Metamaterials? Split Ring Resonators (SRR) Tunable Metamaterials Applications of Metamaterials

Why MEMS? How to actuate the MEMS structure? Principles of electrothermal actuation of MEMS Design of MEMS structure for tunable metamaterials

EM spectrum
All EM waves except the EM waves in the range of THz respond to natural materials.

Why Metamaterials?
The band of frequency in EM spectrum between radio waves and IR light is THz gap. Its is defined as 0.1 to 10THz. EM waves in this range does not respond to natural materials. Thus we have to develop metamaterials, which can show unusual natural material properties, so that it can respond to the THz range of EM waves.

Introduction to Metamaterials
Whats in a name?
- Meta- means altered, changed or higher, beyond Why are they called Metamaterials? - Existing materials only exhibit a small subset of electromagnetic properties theoretically available

- Metamaterials can have their electromagnetic properties altered to something beyond what can be found in nature.
- Can achieve negative index of refraction, zero index of refraction, magnetism at optical frequencies, etc.

Metamaterials
Artificial, structured (in subwavelength scale) materials

Electromagnetic (EM) properties derive from shape and distribution of constituent units (usually metallic & dielectric components)
EM properties not-encountered in natural materials

EM properties

Electrical Magnetic permittivity permeability

Possibility to engineer electromagnetic properties

Properties of Metamaterials
Metamaterial is a periodic material that derives its properties from its structure rather than its components Depending on the structure , metamaterials may have refractive index less than 1 and even negative They are assemblies of multiple individual elements fashioned from conventional microscopic materials such as metals or plastics, but the materials are usually arranged in periodic patterns Their precise shape, geometry, size, orientation and arrangement can affect the waves of light or sound in an unconventional manner, creating material properties which are unachievable with conventional materials

Properties of Metamaterials
Negative index of refraction, Backward waves and Sub-wavelength imaging In negative index metamaterials (NIM), both permittivity and permeability are negative resulting in a negative index of refraction. When a negative index of refraction occurs, propagation of the electromagnetic wave is reversed. Resolution below the diffraction limit becomes possible. This is known as Sub wavelength imaging.

Properties of Metamaterials

Properties of Metamaterials
Left Handed Materials (LHMs)
if E is along the positive x direction and H along the positive y direction, the wave will propagate along the negative z direction in a LHM

Conventional materials

Left Handed materials

How to Design Metamaterials?


Designing each unit cell using MEMS structure Periodic arrangement of the unit cell structure lead to the pattern for metamaterial

Unit Cell Size


Mostly the open ring resonator can be considered as an LC circuit The incident wavelength, i > 1m
p a d

From the figure,


P pitch of the cell a metamaterials dimension
p schematics of the elementary cell. a

Split Ring Resonators (SRR)


one of the most common elements used to fabricate metamaterials designed to mimic the magnetic response of atoms and to have a stronger magnetic coupling than is found in nature Each unit can be designed to have its own magnetic response and the overall effect reduces power requirements

Tunable metamaterials
A metamaterial with a variable response to an incident electromagnetic wave. The response includes the capability to determine whether the EM wave is transmitted, reflected, or absorbed Allow arbitrary adjustments to frequency changes in the refractive index. the lattice structure of the tunable metamaterial is adjustable in real time, making it possible to reconfigure a metamaterial device during operation

Applications of Metamaterials
There'd be plenty of applications in the civilian world as well, even for rudimentary cloaking devices.

For example, to create receptacles to shield sensitive medical devices from disruption by MRI scanners, or build cloaks to route cellphone signals around obstacles.
Potential applications of metamaterials are diverse:
remote aerospace applications, sensor detection and infrastructure monitoring, smart solar power management,

public safety, high-frequency battlefield communication .


lenses for high-gain antennas, improving ultrasonic sensors, and even shielding structures from earthquakes.

Invisibility using metamaterials


A 3D Possibility
LIGHT SOURCE OBJECT

LIGHT RAYS

METAMATERIAL

Why MEMS?

To control the transmission and reection properties of metamaterials More drastic change of THz transmission performance by geometrically changing the metamaterial unit cells

How to actuate the MEMS structure?


Electrostatics Electrothermal Electromagnetic Piezoelectric

Principles of electrothermal actuation of MEMS


Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) measures the fractional change in length per degree change in temperature at a constant pressure of a solid substance. Due to CTE) of the material, substrate will bend towards the opposite direction of the expanded material If both the materials are thermally expanded, depending on the CTE, the material will bend to the side of material with less CTE.
Material A Material B For example: refer to figure 1 CTE of Material A = 27nm/K CTE of Material B = 0.1nm/K The cantilever tends to bend downwards since the CTE of Material A is more than Material B.

Figure 1

Design of MEMS structure for tunable metamaterials


A cantilever structure is to be designed and fabricated to act as an actuator The structure will be tuned with an AC input and it will be actuated. This cantilever actuated MEMS structure will be the unit cell for the metamaterials

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