Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The primary goal of the research program will be to develop novel simulation techniques for the analysis and design of metasurfaces (MS) in a wide variety of applications. The program will deal with the need to have a multi-scale modelling framework from sub-wavelength scale lengths to the system level; and the importance of a multi-physics approach. A MS is formed by creating a thin two dimensional surface of quasi-periodically arranged EM resonant scatterers having a sub-wavelength unit cell. The total response of the array of cells can be understood as an emergent functional structure characterized by frequency dependent susceptibilities. Due to the complexity of the intrinsic phenomena MS design and analysis is a challanging area. This grant proposes to develop a set of general numerical tools to facilitate the design and optimization of MS's and the systems they are used in. Tools will be created to provide capabilities spanning from unit-cell design to system analysis.  A key element in the process will be the use of a hierarchal model and simulation process; building up from the unit cell to the system.   A unit-cell simulation tool will be developed for time-varying and non-linear cells. For small-region propagation studies a tool will be developed for systems with non-linear/time-varying MS. For addressing scattering and system level problems involving multiple MS and large regions, two tools will be developed one based on boundary element methods and the other on enhanced ray tracing. All of this infrastructure will incorporate multi-physics aspects with work focusing on self-consistent EM, thermal and electrical circuit simulation. This comprehensive CAD infrastructure for MS design and system optimization will be used to address three initial applications: 1) MS design for wireless (5G) channel capacity enhancement, 2) MS implementations of camouflage, and 3) MS based narrow-band IR emitters.   It is without doubt, that technologies incorporating MS elements will have a great impact on technology and society. The rate at which this change occurs will be strongly dependent on the CAD tools available for the design of MS's and the systems which exploit them. At this point in time, this CAD infrastructure is essentially non-existent and the work proposed in this grant aims to provide it. The technological impact of making such a CAD environment available will be very significant. It will enable innovation in many areas with impact first being felt in 5G communication  and sensor development. The scientific impact of proposed work will also be considerable. The work proposed on unit-cell modeling involving non-linear and time-varying elements is an open problem and will advance the field. The multi-scale and multi-physics focus of the work will create a large amount of new scientific material to be disseminated. Finally, the application work done in collaboration with experimentalists will advance the knowledge base for those areas.