Scattering from Artificial Piezoelectriclike Meta-Atoms and Molecules

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• Natural piezoelectricity inspires novel material designs.
• Coupled electromechanical oscillators are key to advanced functionalities.
• Metamaterials offer unique wave manipulation properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce hybrid-wave electromechanical meta-atoms and metamolecules.
• To explore the linearized electromechanical scattering process.
• To demonstrate novel functionalities enabled by hybrid-wave interactions.

Main Methods:

• Designing coupled electrical and mechanical oscillators with similar resonance frequencies.
• Analyzing the electromechanical scattering process.
• Investigating a dimer metamolecule for wave directional control.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated hybrid-wave interaction in electromechanical metamaterials.
• Achieved highly directional electromagnetic wave propagation from a deep subwavelength dimer metamolecule.
• Showcased acoustic largeness despite electrical smallness in metamolecules.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid-wave electromechanical meta-atoms enable unprecedented functionalities.
• This approach opens new avenues in electromagnetics and acoustics.
• Potential applications include miniaturized sensors, superresolution imaging, and compact antennas.