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Electromagnetic Reconfiguration Using Stretchable Mechanical Metamaterials
Maria Sakovsky1, Jan Negele1, Joseph Costantine2
1Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Leonhardstrasse 21, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|January 4, 2023
Summary
Mechanical metamaterials enable stretchable antennas for reconfigurable communication systems. This innovation allows antennas to maintain performance under strain, crucial for wearable electronics and aerospace applications.
Area of Science:
- Electromagnetics
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Agile communication systems require reconfigurable electromagnetic structures for applications like wearable electronics and aerospace.
- Current stretchable conductor technologies for antenna reconfiguration are limited by soft substrate high-strain requirements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the use of mechanical metamaterials for stretchable conductors and dielectrics in antennas.
- To enable on-demand antenna performance reconfiguration while preserving radiation characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mechanical metamaterials to create stretchable conductors and dielectrics for antenna applications.
- Investigated conductor stretching up to 30% across a range of substrate tensile moduli (26 MPa to 44 GPa).
- Designed and tested several antenna configurations incorporating metamaterial elements.
Main Results:
- Mechanical metamaterials achieved conductor stretching up to 30%.
- Metamaterial-based antennas exhibited frequency reduction upon stretching, comparable to monolithic conductors.
- Demonstrated a miniaturization effect alongside frequency tuning.
- Showcased control over the coupling between mechanical stretching and electromagnetic reconfiguration via conductor patterning.
Conclusions:
- Mechanical metamaterials offer a viable solution for creating stretchable antennas with tunable electromagnetic properties.
- This approach enhances antenna reconfigurability for diverse applications, including body-adapted electronics and space vehicles.
- Metamaterial geometry provides a design pathway for tailoring antenna functionality in response to application-specific needs.
