Designing perturbative metamaterials from discrete models

Area of Science:

• Metamaterials science
• Condensed matter physics
• Materials engineering

Background:

• Designing metamaterials with specific functionalities is challenging.
• Discrete models describe complex phenomena like negative refraction.
• Replicating discrete models with geometric building blocks is a promising but unsolved inverse problem.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a systematic design approach for metamaterials.
• Enable the creation of metamaterials based on discrete models.
• Demonstrate the design of elastic metamaterials with specific properties.

Main Methods:

• Introduce 'perturbative metamaterials' with weakly interacting unit cells.
• Associate discrete model elements with individual geometric features.
• Design 2D elastic metamaterials using this principle.

Main Results:

• Successfully designed elastic metamaterials realizing Veselago lenses.
• Achieved zero-dispersion bands in designed metamaterials.
• Demonstrated topological surface phonons in elastic metamaterials.

Conclusions:

• The perturbative metamaterial approach enables systematic design.
• This principle is applicable beyond mechanical systems to acoustic, thermal, and photonic metamaterials.
• Weakly interacting unit cells are key to this design strategy.