Superconducting Metamaterials

人们发现了一类新的材料(超材料)，它们传播的电磁波具有奇特的新奇和令人兴奋的特性。预计其中某些超材料的行为就像它们的折射率为负一样，改变了光线光学的方向，导致了许多违反直觉的结果。然而，对超材料及其应用的了解仍处于初级阶段。即使是最基本的预测和相关实验的结果，也存在激烈的争议。由于这一领域的理论工作与实验工作的比例很高，显然需要对能够生产的最理想(即最接近理论)的材料进行更多的实验工作。其目的是利用超导超材料研究有关负介电常数、负磁导率和负折射率的关键基本问题，以提供明确的答案。具体活动包括开发新型的超导可调谐负e和负u超材料，直接测量超导左手材料中的逝去波放大，开发一种新型的超紧凑射频谐振器，以及利用超导相移中心来量子力学地调节纳米工程超导超材料的性质。拟议工作的广泛影响包括定性地展示处理微波信号的新方法，开发这些材料的新型微波应用，包括谐振器、带通和带阻滤波器、具有前所未有的性能的近场透镜和负折射材料，所有这些都在工业上具有无数的新用途。拟议的工作研究和促进超材料在射频和微波行业的应用。有新的和可能更好的微波滤波器(带通、阻挡、可调谐等)的概念，从根本上改进的成像材料和器件的微波特性的方法，可能改进核磁共振和核磁共振系统的新的谐振结构的开发，以及许多其他潜在的应用。这些发展将通过创造高科技就业机会、改善无线通信以及对医疗保健产生积极影响，对社会产生直接和可衡量的价值。该项目将培养两名具有电气工程和物理背景的研究生，以发现电磁研究前沿的新现象。国际和平协会的小组有扩大代表不足群体参与他的研究小组的历史，并参与了与附近少数族裔占主导地位的初中和高中的外联活动。这项活动将建立一个新的超材料研究分支，预计将对基础理解和新的应用做出重大贡献。这些活动将创造新的伙伴关系、合作和设施，将改变这一领域的面貌。结果将通过出版物、讲座和在国际会议上张贴的海报、一个研究网站以及继续由国际和平协会和学生开展的广泛的外联活动来传播。

A new class of materials (metamaterials) has been discovered that propagate electromagnetic waves with fantastically novel and exciting properties. Certain of these metamaterials are expected to behave as if they have a negative index of refraction, turning ray optics on its head and leading to many counter-intuitive results. However, the understanding of metamaterials and their applications is still in its infancy. Even the most basic predictions, and the outcomes of the associated experiments, are hotly contested. Because of the high ratio of theoretical to experimental work in this field, there is a clear need for more experimental work on the most ideal (i.e. closest to theory) materials that can be produced. The objective is to investigate key fundamental questions about negative permittivity, negative permeability, and negative index of refraction materials using superconducting metamaterials to provide definitive answers. Specific activities include development of novel superconducting tunable negative-e and negative-u metamaterials, direct measurement of evanescent wave amplification in a superconducting left-handed material development of a novel ultra-compact rf resonator, and the use of superconducting phase-slip centers to quantum mechanically tune the properties of nano-engineered superconducting metamaterials. The broad impact of the proposed work includes demonstrating qualitatively new ways of manipulating microwave signals, developing novel microwave applications of these materials, including resonators, band-pass and band-stop filters, near-field lenses with unprecedented properties, and negative refracting materials, all with myriad new uses in industry.The proposed work investigates and promotes applications of metamaterials for the RF and microwave industry. There are concepts for new and possibly superior microwave filters (band pass, stop, tunable, etc.), radically improved methods to image microwave properties of materials and devices, the development of new resonant structures that may improve NMR and MRI systems, and many other potential applications. These developments will be of direct and measurable value to society through the generation of high tech jobs, improvement of wireless communications, and a positive impact on health care. The project will train two graduate students, with backgrounds in electrical engineering and physics, to discover new phenomena at the cutting edge of electromagnetic research. The PI's group has a history of broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in his research group and is involved in outreach activities with nearby minority-dominated middle and high schools. This activity will establish a new branch of metamaterials research that is expected to make significant contributions to fundamental understanding and new applications. These activities will create new partnerships, collaborations, and facilities that will alter the landscape of this field. The results will be disseminated through publications, talks and posters at international conferences, a research web site, and continuation of the extensive outreach activities by the PI and students.