Dual-physics programmable metasurfaces for dynamical controls of acoustics and electromagnetics

Programmable metasurfaces bring new opportunities for modern acoustic and electromagnetic technologies by dynamically tailoring wave-matter interactions at subwavelength scales. Due to differences in physical properties and tuning mechanisms of acoustic and electromagnetic waves, current programmable metasurfaces typically manipulate only one type of wave, while concurrent and programmable controls of both waves remain elusive. Here, we propose a dual-physics programmable metasurface capable of simultaneous, independent and dynamic manipulations of acoustic and electromagnetic waves. The presented metasurface consists of 324 micromotor-driven elements that are individually addressable and wirelessly controlled. Each element can achieve 1-bit reflection phase modulation of both acoustic and electromagnetic waves by dynamic geometric rotation, allowing the metasurface to realize on-demand and decoupled reconfiguration of acoustic and electromagnetic functionalities. The intriguing features of the metasurface are demonstrated by simultaneously achieving local audio enhancement and radio-frequency relay communications, as well as acoustic-electromagnetic dual-channel information camouflage. This work offers significant promise for future metasurface-based multi-physics wireless communications and information security.