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Inflatable acoustic metasurfaces for tunable wave focusinga)
Jihoon Ahn1, Danial Panahandeh-Shahraki1, Gunho Kim1
1Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|May 1, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed inflatable acoustic metasurface (IAM) lenses for tunable acoustic focusing. These lenses offer continuous focal length adjustment and aberration correction, advancing acoustic wave control.
Area of Science:
- Acoustics
- Materials Science
- Wave Physics
Background:
- Acoustic metasurfaces offer wave control but typically have fixed geometries.
- The inability to tune acoustic waves limits their functionality for applications like dynamic focusing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and demonstrate inflatable acoustic metasurface (IAM) lenses for tunable acoustic focusing.
- To enable continuous adjustment of focal length and correct for aberrations.
Main Methods:
- IAM lenses with embedded diffractive patterns were designed and fabricated.
- Hydraulic inflation was used to nonplanarly deform the membrane and adjust focal length.
- Focal characteristics (peak pressure, FWHM, FLHM) were measured at various inflation levels.
Main Results:
- Continuous focal length adjustment was achieved, ranging from -2.49λ to +3.17λ.
- IAM lenses demonstrated the ability to correct aberrations at oblique incidence angles.
- Performance metrics were systematically tracked during inflation for characterization.
Conclusions:
- IAM lenses provide a novel method for dynamic and tunable acoustic focusing.
- The technology shows potential for real-time acoustic wave manipulation in various applications.
- IAMs offer advantages over conventional planar lenses, especially in correcting angular aberrations.
