Mechanically reconfigurable frequency selective surface inspired by rotating Kirigami.

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics and Metamaterials
• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Frequency selective surfaces (FSS) are crucial for filtering electromagnetic waves.
• Traditional FSS designs often lack tunability or reconfigurability.
• Developing reconfigurable FSS is essential for adaptive electromagnetic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel mechanically reconfigurable frequency selective surface (RFSS).
• To demonstrate continuous frequency tuning using a rotating Kirigami structure.
• To validate the design through electromagnetic simulations and experimental measurements.

Main Methods:

• Designing an RFSS utilizing a rotating Kirigami substrate with an adhered conductive ring.
• Tuning resonant frequencies by adjusting the angle of the Kirigami substrate's squares.
• Analyzing the tuning mechanism via an equivalent circuit model.
• Fabricating a prototype using 3D printing technology for experimental validation.

Main Results:

• Electromagnetic simulations confirmed continuous frequency tuning from 14.73 GHz to 16.1 GHz.
• The equivalent circuit model accurately explained the frequency tuning mechanism.
• Experimental measurements of the 3D-printed prototype showed good agreement with simulation results.

Conclusions:

• The proposed rotating Kirigami structure offers an effective method for mechanical reconfigurability in FSS.
• This mechanically tunable RFSS demonstrates potential for adaptive electromagnetic systems.
• The combination of simulation and experimental validation confirms the viability of the proposed design.