Electromagnetic periodic structures and metamaterials for imaging and wireless technology

无线网络的快速扩展和日常设备中无线功能的加入正在推动无线技术的持续发展。消费者对移动设备的需求不断增长，加上物联网和机器对机器网络的出现，导致了增长，预计到2022年，联网设备的数量将达到200亿台。近年来，周期性结构和超材料(具有奇异电磁响应的人造材料)为电磁场操纵提供了新的技术，导致了成像、天线、射频电路等方面的进步。这项发现助学金研究周期性结构和超材料的电磁特性，以提高高分辨率超透镜的性能，并开发无线技术方面的创新解决方案。我们团队最近的研究表明，目前的超级透镜设计存在成像伪影，这是由于光线在透镜边缘散射的方式造成的。我们将研究如何修改边缘几何和基本的超材料属性可以抑制这些伪影，并实现稳健的高分辨率成像。这项工作在成像显微镜、微制造、纳米透镜等方面都有应用。我们还将探索周期结构和超材料在两个当代感兴趣的应用中的应用：无线传感和无线能量传输。首先，我们设计了可以集成在物体表面内的被动感知层，以提供关于这些表面状况的信息。感测层由外部读取器设备扫描，提供高灵敏度的远距离非侵入性传感。在第二部分中，我们研究了一连串的谐振线圈，这些线圈被设计用于在空气中高效率地远距离传输电力。这项工作在家庭、商业建筑和交通基础设施的分布式无线电力传输系统中有应用。这种研究超材料成像和无线技术的方法为学生提供了在周期结构的电磁理论方面打下坚实基础的机会，同时也获得了实验和应用研究的经验。特别是，培训学生分析非正则结构，如超材料，可以更深入地理解波传播的基本物理学，这将为他们在应用电磁学领域的职业生涯做好更好的准备。该计划下的所有研究项目都是基于在研究任何具体应用之前掌握相关电磁理论的理念。这有助于所有项目参与者，从首席研究员到研究生和本科生研究助理，培养对电磁原理的掌握，提高解决问题的技能，甚至启发新的研究想法。

The rapid expansion of wireless networking and the inclusion of wireless functionality in everyday devices is driving the ongoing development of wireless technology. Growing consumer appetite for mobile devices coupled with the emergence of the internet of things and machine to machine networking has led to growth that is projected to bring the number of connected devices to 20 billion by 2022. In recent years, periodic structures and metamaterials (artificial materials with exotic electromagnetic responses) have provided new techniques for electromagnetic field manipulation that have led to advances in imaging, antennas, radio-frequency circuits, and more. This Discovery Grant investigates the electromagnetic properties of periodic structures and metamaterials in order to improve the performance of high-resolution superlenses and develop innovative solutions in wireless technology. Recent studies by our group have demonstrated that current superlens designs suffer from imaging artifacts caused by the way light scatters at the edges of lenses. We will investigate how modifications to the edge geometry and underlying metamaterial properties can suppress these artifacts and achieve robust high-resolution imaging. This work has applications in imaging microscopy, micro-fabrication, nano-scale lenses, and more. We will also explore the use of periodic structures and metamaterials in two applications of contemporary interest: wireless sensing and wireless power transfer. In the first, we design passive sensing layers that can be integrated within object surfaces to provide information about the condition of those surfaces. The sensing layers are scanned by an external reader device, providing non-invasive sensing at a distance with high sensitivity. In the second, we look at chains of resonant coils designed to transfer power through the air over large distances with high efficiency. This work has applications in distributed wireless power transfer systems for homes, commercial buildings, and transportation infrastructure. This approach to research on metamaterial imaging and wireless technology provides opportunities for students to develop a strong foundation in the electromagnetic theory of periodic structures while also gaining experience in experimental and applied research. In particular, training students to analyze non-canonical structures like metamaterials provides a deeper understanding of the underlying physics of wave propagation, which better prepares them for a career in applied electromagnetics. All research projects under this program are based on the philosophy of mastering the relevant electromagnetic theory before investigating any specific applications. This helps all program participants, from the principal investigator to graduate students and undergraduate research assistants, to develop mastery of electromagnetic principles, improve problem solving skills, and even inspire new research ideas.