Learning Metamaterials and Metasurface using Circuit Theory

Objective

Electromagnetic metamaterials and meta surfaces in the radio frequency (microwave, mm-wave) find potential applications in advanced communication, defense and energy sectors, by leading to innovative designs of filters, sensors, randoms, antennas, intelligent reflectors and super lenses. Besides the conventional spatial metamaterials and meta surfaces, recently there has been emphasis on using time-modulation to realize more exotic EM properties from them. In this course, emphasis will be provided on disseminating the underlying EM concepts of these structures (mainly in the RF regime), from a circuit theoretic approach using transmission lines. MATLAB Antenna Toolbox as well as FDTD (finite difference time-domain) codes will be deployed for visualization and understanding

Syllabus

• Module-1: Maxwell’s Equations and EM Boundary Conditions, Formulation and Solution of Wave-equation, Phasor Concepts, Plane-wave propagation in simple medium, Relating Circuit Theory with Maxwell’s Equations, Analysis of Conventional RH (Right-handed) Transmission Lines.
• Module-2: CRLH TLs (Composite Right-Left Handed Transmission Lines) and demonstration of Backward (Left-handed) EM Wave propagation, Understanding Effective Medium Permittivity and Permeability, Generalized Snell’s Law and Negative Refraction, realizing “Super lens” using CRLH TLs, CRLH TL based Leaky wave Antennas.
• Module-3: Design of HIS (High Impedance Surface) using CRLH TL Concepts, Surface wave engineering and EBG (electromagnetic) Metasurfaces, Metasurface based Radomes and Absorbers, Beam-steering Anomalous Reflectors using Coded Metasurfaces.
• Module-4: TL realization of time-varying metamaterials, Time-varying meta surfaces and their applications in on-air mixers and non-reciprocal antenna design.