三维超材料制造技术现状与趋势

Current situation and trend of fabrication technologies for three-dimensional metamaterials

三维超材料是具有三维空间特定排布的亚波长人工周期结构,具有自然材料不具备的超常规物理性能。本文以三维超材料的电磁调控技术为线索,简要论述了近年来三维超材料在基础研究和制造工艺方面的研究现状;梳理了目前三维超材料的制造方法,包含印刷电路板及组装的方法、机械加工方法、3D打印技术、微纳制造工艺;选取电磁隐身罩、透镜天线、吸波器、柔性超材料等代表性应用类别,简述了三维超材料器件的电磁调控方法与实现手段,所涉及的超材料种类包括左手超材料、渐变折射率超材料、智能超材料等。基于目前三维超材料研究领域待解决的问题,对今后三维超材料的发展趋势进行了探讨。

Three dimensional （3D） metamaterials are periodic artificial microstructures arranged in three-dimensional space. They are in scale of subwavelength, thus getting extraordinary physical properties which are not found in nature. The recent developments on basic theory and manufacturing process of the 3D metamaterials are discussed in this letter. Manufacturing processes of the 3D metamaterials are sorted out, including printing circuit board and assembly, machining technology, 3D printing technology, micro/nano-manufacturing technology. As the representative devices of 3D metamaterials, the electromagnetic cloaks, lens antennas, absorbers and flexible metamatedals are discussed to show how the 3D metamaterials control the electromagnetic-wave. Devices of left-handed metamaterials, graded refractive index metamaterials, intelligent metamaterials are also discussed. Finally, the development trends of 3D metamaterials in future are discussed and predicted according to the present problems of 3D metamaterials.