电磁超构材料是将亚波长微结构（即人工原子）按一定宏观排列组合而成的复合介质，前期基于单模对称型简单人工原子及均匀/周期型简单排列方式构建的超构材料在取得巨大成就的同时也碰到了瓶颈和挑战。近期人们（含申请人团队）发现基于多自由度耦合复杂“人工原子”及特殊宏观排列方式（如梯度，旋转性质）构建的超表面展现出对电磁波更强大的调控能力。然而此类研究目前尚处于的起步阶段，缺乏对复杂“人工原子”中多模式耦合效应及体系宏观排列方式与电磁波传播规律之间内在关联的深刻理解。针对上述重大挑战，我们将结合理论、仿真、样品制备及实验测试，研究基于复杂“人工原子”和特殊宏观排列方式构建的超表面体系的物性及对电磁波的调控，并发掘其实际潜力。为此我们将开展以下研究：1. 多自由度耦合的复杂人工原子的电磁响应研究；2. 基于特殊宏观排列方式的超表面对电磁波的调控研究；3. 电磁超表面的应用研究。

Metamaterials (MTM) are artificial electromagnetic (EM) materials composed by subwavelength microstructures （meta-atoms）arranged in certain Macroscopic “orders”. Based on simple meta-atoms (e.g., single-mode symmetrical resonators) and simple orders (e.g., homogeneous or periodic), MTMs have already been thoroughly studied in the past decade and great achievements were obtained. Recently, several groups include our own have found that MTMs (particularly meta-surfaces) based on multi-freedom complex meta-atoms and special macroscopic orders exhibit even stronger abilities to manipulate EM waves. However, currently this kind of research is still at an initial stage, in which the theoretical models are too simple and experimental investigations are still under development, and how the multi-freedom coupling inside the complex meta-atoms and the macroscopic order govern the physical rules of the EM wave’s properties still remain unclear. Facing this grand challenge, here we propose to systematically study the physical properties of meta-surfaces based on complex meta-atoms and special macroscopic orders and their abilities to manipulate EM waves, through combining theory, numerical simulations, micro- and nano-fabrications, and experimental characterizations. In particular, we will conduct the following three parts of research: 1) Studies on electromagnetic properties of the complex meta-atom with multiple degrees of freedom; 2) Wave manipulations based on meta-surfaces constructed with special macroscopic order; 3) Applications of such meta-surfaces.