Dual-Functional Programmable Metasurface with Zero Static Power Based on Liquid Metal

Area of Science:

• Metamaterials and Nanophotonics
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Applied Physics

Background:

• Traditional metasurface switching devices face challenges like high power consumption, material fatigue, and crosstalk.
• Liquid metal offers a promising alternative for reconfigurable metasurfaces, enabling low-power operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dual-functional programmable metasurface (DFPM) by integrating liquid metal with a grating-structured microfluidic chip and a passive metasurface.
• To achieve programmable reflection and transmission characteristics with zero static power consumption.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a liquid metal, a grating-structured microfluidic chip, and a passive metasurface.
• Utilizing the microfluidic chip for individual control of units, reducing fabrication complexity.
• Demonstrating programmable reflection phase tuning via liquid metal and programmable transmission via the microfluidic chip.

Main Results:

• The DFPM successfully achieved programmable reflection phases by tuning the passive metasurface with liquid metal.
• The decoupled microfluidic chip functioned as an independent liquid metal metasurface with programmable transmission resonant frequencies.
• The grating structure enabled individual unit control, simplifying fabrication and cost.
• Application in MRI showed uniform magnetic field enhancement and broad frequency tuning.

Conclusions:

• The developed DFPM overcomes limitations of conventional metasurface devices, offering reconfigurability with zero static power.
• The liquid metal metasurface shows significant potential for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.
• The flexible and conformal nature of the device makes it suitable for wearable devices and flexible electronics.