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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
06:51
Microparticle Manipulation by Standing Surface Acoustic Waves with Dual-frequency Excitations
Published on: August 21, 2018
Dual-physics programmable metasurfaces for dynamical controls of acoustics and electromagnetics
Zheng Zhang1, Han Wei Tian1, Chao Song1
1State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Nature Communications
|July 16, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a novel dual-physics programmable metasurface for simultaneous acoustic and electromagnetic wave control. This breakthrough enables independent manipulation of both wave types, paving the way for advanced multi-physics technologies.
Area of Science:
- Metamaterials and Wave Manipulation
- Acoustic and Electromagnetic Engineering
- Multi-physics Systems
Background:
- Programmable metasurfaces offer dynamic control over wave-matter interactions at subwavelength scales.
- Existing metasurfaces typically control either acoustic or electromagnetic waves, not both concurrently.
- Simultaneous, programmable control of both acoustic and electromagnetic waves remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and demonstrate a dual-physics programmable metasurface.
- To achieve simultaneous, independent, and dynamic manipulation of acoustic and electromagnetic waves.
- To explore novel applications in multi-physics wireless communications and information security.
Main Methods:
- Designed a metasurface composed of 324 individually addressable, wirelessly controlled micromotor-driven elements.
- Each element achieves 1-bit reflection phase modulation for both acoustic and electromagnetic waves via geometric rotation.
- Demonstrated on-demand, decoupled reconfiguration of acoustic and electromagnetic functionalities.
Main Results:
- Successfully achieved simultaneous local audio enhancement and radio-frequency relay communications.
- Demonstrated acoustic-electromagnetic dual-channel information camouflage.
- Validated the independent and dynamic control capabilities of the dual-physics metasurface.
Conclusions:
- The proposed dual-physics programmable metasurface enables unprecedented concurrent control of acoustic and electromagnetic waves.
- This technology offers significant promise for integrated multi-physics systems.
- Potential applications include advanced wireless communications, sensing, and information security.
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