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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

An air-spaced terahertz metamaterial perfect absorber

Metamaterial absorbers are typically comprised of a layer of split-ring resonators and a ground plane with a dielectric spacer layer that provides structural support and in which absorbed energy is deposited. For this work, we address the question “What happens to the absorption if the spacer layer is removed?” through the design, fabrication, and characterization of a terahertz metamaterial absorber with air as the spacer layer. Reflection based terahertz time-domain spectroscopy was employed to measure the absorption and interference theory was used to interpret the results. The surface current in the gold ground plane and split-ring resonator layer is solely responsible for the absorption in the form of joule heating. In comparison to dielectric spacer layer absorbers, the quality factor is increased by a factor of ~3. The electric field is highly concentrated in the volume between split-ring resonator layer and the ground plane offering the potential for novel sensing application if materials can be incorporated into this region (e.g. with microfluidics). In the spirit of this possibility, simulations of the absorption have been performed. The variation of the real part of the permittivity of the spacer material results in an absorption peak frequency shift, while a change in the imaginary part affects the quality factor and amplitude. Ultimately, the high quality factor and the absence of the spacer material provide the air-spacer metamaterial absorber with unique advantages for sensing applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Graphene metamaterial modulator for free-space thermal radiation

We proposed and demonstrated a new metamaterial architecture capable of high speed modulation of free-space space thermal infrared radiation using graphene. Our design completely eliminates channel resistance, thereby maximizing the electrostatic modulation speed, while at the same time effectively modulating infrared radiation. Experiment results verify that our device with area of 100 × 120 µm 2 can achieve a modulation speed as high as 2.6 GHz. We further highlight the utility of our graphene metamaterial modulator by reconstructing a fast infrared signal using an equivalent time sampling technique. The graphene metamaterial modulator demonstrated here is not only limited to the thermal infrared, but may be scaled to longer infrared and terahertz wavelengths. Our work provides a path forward for realization of frequency selective and all-electronic high speed devices for infrared applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tunable Metamaterials for Impact Mitigation

Traditional methods of shielding fragile goods and human tissues from impact energy rely on isotropic foam materials. The mechanical properties of these foams are inferior to an emerging class of metamaterials called plate lattices, which have predominantly been fabricated in simple 2.5-dimensional geometries using conventional methods that constrain the feasible design space. Here in this work, additive manufacturing is used to relax these constraints and realize plate lattice metamaterials with nontrivial, locally varying geometry. The limitations of traditional computer-aided design tools are circumvented and allow the simulation of complex buckling and collapse behaviors without a manual meshing step. By validating these simulations against experimental data from tests on fabricated samples, sweeping exploration of the plate lattice design space is enabled. Numerical and experimental tests demonstrate plate lattices absorb up to six times more impact energy at equivalent densities relative to foams and shield objects from impacts ten times more energetic while transmitting equivalent peak stresses. In contrast to previous investigations of plate lattice metamaterials, designs with nonuniform geometric prebuckling in the out-of-plane direction is explored and showed that these designs exhibit 10% higher energy absorption efficiency on average and 25% higher in the highest-performing design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Design of 3D Oxide–Metal Hybrid Metamaterial for Tailorable Light–Matter Interactions in Visible and Near-Infrared Region

Dielectric–metallic hybrid metamaterials exhibit extraordinary optical properties due to the light–matter interactions at the dielectric–metallic interfaces. The ability in precision control of the light–matter interactions in nanoscale is key to tailor the optical properties of hybrid metamaterials. In this work, a complex 3D framework of multilayered self-assembled BaTiO 3 (BTO)-Au hybrid thin films is demonstrated with such precision control of the light–matter interaction in nanoscale. Here, unique “bamboo-like” Au nanostructures are formed via the bilayer and trilayer stacking of BTO-Au hybrid layers with interlayers of SrTiO 3 , CeO 2 , or MgO. Different film strain states introduced by the three interlayers result in variable diameter and density of Au nanopillars. Both simulated and experimental optical data demonstrate the localized surface plasmon resonance change and hyperbolic dispersion wavelength shift in visible to near-infrared because of the effective tuning of the Au nanopillar aspect ratio and free electron density. The highly tunable optical properties along with the ferroelectric behavior and thermal robustness of the 3D hybrid film enable it to be a great candidate for multifunctional applications. This study demonstrates a unique 3D approach for precision optical property tuning and combined functionalities in oxide–metal metamaterial systems toward future integrated photonic and electronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Nanoscale Artificial Plasmonic Lattice in Self-Assembled Vertically Aligned Nitride-Metal Hybrid Metamaterials

Nanoscale metamaterials exhibit extraordinary optical properties and are proposed for various technological applications. Here, a new class of novel nanoscale two–phase hybrid metamaterials is achieved by combining two major classes of traditional plasmonic materials, metals (e.g., Au) and transition metal nitrides (e.g., TaN, TiN, and ZrN) in an epitaxial thin film form via the vertically aligned nanocomposite platform. By properly controlling the nucleation of the two phases, the nanoscale artificial plasmonic lattices (APLs) consisting of highly ordered hexagonal close packed Au nanopillars in a TaN matrix are demonstrated. More specifically, uniform Au nanopillars with an average diameter of 3 nm are embedded in epitaxial TaN platform and thus form highly 3D ordered APL nanoscale metamaterials. Novel optical properties include highly anisotropic reflectance, obvious nonlinear optical properties indicating inversion symmetry breaking of the hybrid material, large permittivity tuning and negative permittivity response over a broad wavelength regime, and superior mechanical strength and ductility. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the novelty of the new hybrid plasmonic scheme with great potentials in versatile material selection, and, tunable APL spacing and pillar dimension, all important steps toward future designable hybrid plasmonic materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Optical Properties of New Type of Superconductor-Semiconductor Metamaterial Photonic Crystals

Based on the fundamentals of the characteristic matrix method, we theoretically investigate the optical properties of onedimensional superconductor metamaterial photonic crystals. The photonic crystals are composed of a superconductor layer and two semiconductor metamaterial layers of In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As with different doping densities. The numerical results show negative values in permittivity of the metamaterial layer along a broad band of the incident radiation. The negative values show a significant effect on the optical properties of the present structure. Moreover, the optical properties of our design can be controlled by different parameters such as thicknesses of the layers, the operating temperature and the doping density. Our results may be suitable for different applications in the optical community.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Surface plasmons at the interface of metamaterial and topological insulator

We investigate the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the boundary of metamaterial and topological insulators. Instances of Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}, Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and metamaterial boundaries are investigated. The topological insulators under consideration are three dimensional topological insulators of the second generation. Dispersion relations, absorption characteristics and propagation lengths of SPPs are calculated. The variation of bulk dielectric functions of topological insulators and metamaterial is considered by means of the Drude model and effective medium approximation theory. The key parameters making a dramatic impact on propagation lengths are acknowledged and mechanisms for engineering dispersion properties are suggested.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Instabilities and phase transitions in architected metamaterials: a gradient-enhanced continuum approach

Architected metamaterials such as foams and lattices exhibit a wide range of properties governed by microstructural instabilities and emerging phase transitions. Their macroscopic response–including energy dissipation during impact, large recoverable deformations, morphing between configurations, and auxetic behavior–remains difficult to capture with conventional continuum models, which often rely on discrete approaches that limit scalability. In this work, we propose a nonlocal continuum formulation that captures both stable and unstable responses of elastic architected metamaterials. The framework extends anisotropic hyperelasticity by introducing nonlocal variables and internal length scales reflective of microstructural features. Local polyconvex free-energy models are systematically augmented with two families of non-(poly)convex energies, enabling both metastable and bistable responses. Implementation in a finite element framework enables solution using a hybrid monolithic–staggered strategy. Simulations capture densification fronts, forward and reverse transitions, hysteresis loops, imperfection sensitivity, and globally coordinated auxetic modes. Overall, this framework provides a robust foundation for accelerated modeling of instability-driven phenomena in architected metamaterials, while enabling extensions to anisotropic, dissipative, and active systems as well as integration with data-driven and machine learning approaches.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Coulombic friction in metamaterials to dissipate mechanical energy

Product designs from a wide range of industries such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and others can benefit from new metamaterials for mechanical energy dissipation. In this study, we explore a novel new class of metamaterials with unit cells that absorb energy via sliding Coulombic friction. Remarkably, even materials such as metals and ceramics, which typically have no intrinsic reversible energy dissipation, can be architected to provide dissipation akin to elastomers. The concept is demonstrated at different scales (centimeter to micrometer), with different materials (metal and polymer), and in different operating environments (high and low temperatures), all showing substantial dissipative improvements over conventional non-contacting lattice unit cells. Further, as with other ‘programmable’ metamaterials, the degree of Coulombic absorption can be tailored for a given application. Additionally, an analytic expression is derived to allow rapid first-order optimization. This new class of Coulombic friction energy absorbers can apply broadly to many industrial sectors such as transportation (e.g. monolithic shock absorbers), biomedical (e.g. prosthetics), athletic equipment (e.g. skis, bicycles, etc.), defense (e.g. vibration tolerant structures), and energy (e.g. survivable electrical grid components).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dependence of the kinetic energy absorption capacity of bistable mechanical metamaterials on impactor mass and velocity

Using an alternative mechanism to dissipation or scattering, bistable structures and mechanical metamaterials have shown promise for mitigating the detrimental effects of impact by reversibly locking energy into strained material. Herein, we extend prior works on impact absorption via bistable metamaterials to computationally explore the dependence of kinetic energy transmission on the velocity and mass of the impactor, with strain rates exceeding 10 2 s –1 . We observe a large dependence on both impactor parameters, ranging from significantly better to worse performance than a comparative linear material. We then correlate the variability in performance to solitary wave formation in the system and give analytical estimates of idealized energy absorption capacity under dynamic loading. In addition, we find a significant dependence on damping accompanied by a qualitative difference in solitary wave propagation within the system. The complex dynamics revealed in this study offer potential future guidance for the application of bistable metamaterials to applications including human and engineered system shock and impact protection devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Strongly nonlinear wave propagation in elasto-plastic metamaterials: Low-order dynamic modeling

Nonlinear elastic metamaterials are known to support a variety of dynamic phenomena that enhance our capacity to manipulate elastic waves. Since these properties stem from complex, subwavelength geometry, full-scale dynamic simulations are often prohibitively expensive at scales of interest. Prior studies have therefore utilized low-order effective medium models, such as discrete mass-spring lattices, to capture essential properties in the long-wavelength limit. While models of this type have been successfully implemented for a wide variety of nonlinear elastic systems, they have predominantly considered dynamics depending only on the instantaneous kinematics of the lattice, neglecting history-dependent effects, such as wear and plasticity. Here, to address this limitation, the present study develops a lattice-based modeling framework for nonlinear elastic metamaterials undergoing plastic deformation. Due to the history- and rate-dependent nature of plasticity, the framework generally yields a system of differential-algebraic equations whose computational cost is significantly greater than an elastic system of comparable size. We demonstrate the method using several models inspired by classical lattice dynamics and continuum plasticity theory and explore means to obtain empirical plasticity models for general geometries, thereby gaining insight into the influence of microstructural plasticity on effective material performance, which can be used to improve the design of nonlinear mechanical metamaterials.

Dynamic simulation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scalable phononic metamaterials: Tunable bandgap design and multi-scale experimental validation

Phononic metamaterials offer unprecedented control over wave propagation, making them essential for applications such as vibration isolation, waveguiding, and acoustic filtering. However, achieving scalable and precisely tunable bandgap properties across different length scales remains challenging. This study presents a user-friendly design framework for phononic metamaterials, enabling ultra-wide bandgap tunability (B/ω c ratios up to 172 %) across multiple frequency ranges and scales. Using finite element simulations of a Yablonovite-inspired unit cell, we establish a comprehensive parametric design space that illustrates how geometric parameters, such as sphere size and beam diameter, controls bandgap width and frequency. The scalability and robustness of the framework are validated through experimental testing on additively manufactured structures at both macro (10 mm) and micro (80 µm) scales, fabricated using Stereolithography and Two-Photon Polymerization. Transmission loss measurements, conducted with piezoelectric transducers and laser vibrometry, closely match simulations in the kHz and MHz frequency ranges, confirming the reliability and consistency of the bandgap behavior across scales. This work bridges theory and experiments at multiple scales, offering a practical methodology for the rapid design of phononic metamaterials and expanding their potential for diverse applications across a broad range of frequencies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effective material parameter retrieval for thin sheets: theory and application to graphene, thin silver films, and single-layer metamaterials

An important tool in the field of metamaterials is the extraction of effective material parameters from simulated or measured scattering parameters of a sample. Here we discuss a retrieval method for thin-film structures that can be approximated by a two-dimensional scattering sheet. We determine the effective sheet conductivity from the scattering parameters and we point out the importance of the magnetic sheet current to avoid an overdetermined inversion problem. Subsequently, we present two applications of the sheet retrieval method. First, we determine the effective sheet conductivity of thin silver films and we compare the resulting conductivities with the sheet conductivity of graphene. Second, we apply the method to a cut-wire metamaterial with an electric dipole resonance. The method is valid for thin-film structures such as two-dimensional metamaterials and frequency-selective surfaces and can be easily generalized for anisotropic or chiral media.

Effective medium↗
DOE OSTI2014

Optical Strong Coupling between near-Infrared Metamaterials and Intersubband Transitions in III-Nitride Heterostructures

We present the design, realization, and characterization of optical strong light–matter coupling between intersubband transitions within a semiconductor heterostructures and planar metamaterials in the near-infrared spectral range. The strong light–matter coupling entity consists of a III-nitride intersubband superlattice heterostructure, providing a two-level system with a transition energy of ~0.8 eV (λ ~1.55 μm) and a planar “dogbone” metamaterial structure. Furthermore, as the bare metamaterial resonance frequency is varied across the intersubband resonance, a clear anticrossing behavior is observed in the frequency domain. We found that this strongly coupled entity could enable the realization of electrically tunable optical filters, a new class of efficient nonlinear optical materials, or intersubband-based light-emitting diodes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Single-photon test of hyper-complex quantum theories using a metamaterial

In standard quantum mechanics, complex numbers are used to describe the wavefunction. Although this has so far proven sufficient to predict experimental results, there is no theoretical reason to choose them over real numbers or generalizations of complex numbers, that is, hyper-complex numbers. Experiments performed to date have proven that real numbers are insufficient, but the need for hyper-complex numbers remains an open question. Here we experimentally probe hyper-complex quantum theories, studying one of their deviations from complex quantum theory: the non-commutativity of phases. We do so by passing single photons through a Sagnac interferometer containing both a metamaterial with a negative refractive index, and a positive phase shifter. In order to accomplish this we engineered a fishnet metamaterial to have a negative refractive index at 780 nm. Here, we show that the metamaterial phase commutes with other phases with high precision, allowing us to place limits on a particular prediction of hyper-complex quantum theories.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Reversed rainbow with a nonlocal metamaterial

One of the intriguing potentials of metamaterials is the possibility to realize a nonlocal electromagnetic reaction, such that the effective medium response at a given point is fundamentally entangled with the macroscopic field distribution at long distances. Here, it is experimentally and numerically verified that a microwave nonlocal metamaterial formed by crossed metallic wires enables a low-loss broadband anomalous material response such that the refractive index decreases with frequency. Notably, it is shown that an electromagnetic beam refracted by our metamaterial prism creates a reversed microwave rainbow.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Reconfiguring photonic metamaterials with currents and magnetic fields

We demonstrate that spatial arrangement and optical properties of metamaterial nanostructures can be controlled dynamically using currents and magnetic fields. Mechanical deformation of metamaterial arrays is driven by both resistive heating of bimorph nanostructures and the Lorentz force that acts on charges moving in a magnetic field. With electrically controlled transmission changes of up to 50% at sub-mW power levels, our approaches offer high contrast solutions for dynamic control of metamaterial functionalities in optoelectronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

All-semiconductor metamaterial-based optical circuit board at the microscale

The newly introduced metamaterial-based optical circuit, an analogue of electronic circuit, is becoming a forefront topic in the fields of electronics, optics, plasmonics, and metamaterials. However, metals, as the commonly used plasmonic elements in an optical circuit, suffer from large losses at the visible and infrared wavelengths. We propose here a low-loss, all-semiconductor metamaterial-based optical circuit board at the microscale by using interleaved intrinsic GaAs and doped GaAs, and present the detailed design process for various lumped optical circuit elements, including lumped optical inductors, optical capacitors, optical conductors, and optical insulators. By properly combining these optical circuit elements and arranging anisotropic optical connectors, we obtain a subwavelength optical filter, which can always hold band-stop filtering function for various polarization states of the incident electromagnetic wave. All-semiconductor optical circuits may provide a new opportunity in developing low-power and ultrafast components and devices for optical information processing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗