Litcius/Paper detail

Chimera metasurface for multiterrain invisibility

Zhao-Hua Xu, Su Xu, Chao Qian, Wenya Xu, Hang Ren, Wenming Su, Qi‐Dai Chen, Hongsheng Chen, Hong‐Bo Sun

2024Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences15 citationsDOIOpen Access PDF

Abstract

Invisibility, a fascinating ability of hiding objects within environments, has attracted broad interest for a long time. However, current invisibility technologies are still restricted to stationary environments and narrow band. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a Chimera metasurface for multiterrain invisibility by synthesizing the natural camouflage traits of various poikilotherms. The metasurface achieves chameleon-like broadband in situ tunable microwave reflection mimicry of realistic water surface, shoal, beach/desert, grassland, and frozen ground from 8 to 12 GHz freely via the circuit-topology-transited mode evolution, while remaining optically transparent as an invisible glass frog. Additionally, the mechanic-driven Chimera metasurface without active electrothermal effect, owning a bearded dragon-like thermal acclimation, can decrease the maximum thermal imaging difference to 3.1 °C in tested realistic terrains, which cannot be recognized by human eyes. Our work transitions camouflage technologies from the constrained scenario to ever-changing terrains and constitutes a big advance toward the new-generation reconfigurable electromagnetics with circuit-topology dynamics.

Topics & Concepts

InvisibilityMetamaterialCamouflageCloakingChimera (genetics)PhysicsOpticsTopology (electrical circuits)Computer scienceBiologyEngineeringElectrical engineeringArtificial intelligenceGeneBiochemistryMetamaterials and Metasurfaces ApplicationsAdvanced Antenna and Metasurface TechnologiesAntenna Design and Analysis