Meta-materials based upon surface coupling phenomena to achieve one-way mirror for various electro-magnetic signals

• US 7,301,493 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Cui, Hong-Liang, Raspopin, Alexander, Canales, Peter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/288,061
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 342 1- 13, 342/175, 343/872
• US Class Current: 342/5
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/006 Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces

Abstract

A one-way reflective sensor shield with an increased bandwidth meta-materials coating is provided which substantially reduces or eliminates deleterious electronic signatures and backscattering. The one-way reflective sensor shield with meta-materials coating operates according to surface plasmonic coupling phenomena and achieves a mirror-like one-way reflection of electromagnetic signals. In this arrangement, the meta-materials coating is composed of a dielectric material, and the corrugated metal strips are composed of a metallic conductive material with a negative dielectric constant, to allow surface plasmonic coupling between the plasma in the metal and the incident electromagnetic field. Surface plasmons occur at the interface of a material with a positive dielectric constant, such as dielectric surface, with that of a negative dielectric constant, usually a metal or doped dielectric, such as the metal strips. Sensor devices and sensor shielding systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A one-way reflective sensor shield, comprising:

a meta-material coating is deposited on a surface of said sensor;

a periodic grating array is deposited on said surface;

said array further comprising a pair of conductive corrugated strips separated by a gap;

said meta-material coating being composed of a dielectric material;

said array providing an imaginary non-symmetrical plane parallel to said surface extending from a one of said corrugated strips to another of said corrugated strips;

said sensor having a multitude of said periodic grating arrays;

said meta-material coating having a plurality of enhancement regions that generate a surface plasmonic coupling whenever said sensor is exposed to a beam of electromagnetic radiation based upon said meta-material coating having a positive dielectric constant and said corrugated strips having a negative dielectric constant; and

said surface plasmonic coupling enhances a plurality of incident electromagnetic fields and controls a transmission coefficient of said incident electromagnetic fields to prevent said incident electromagnetic fields from propagating away from sensor allowing said sensor to be concealed and remain undetected.

2. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 1, further comprising eliminating a backscatter of probing fields from radar.

3. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 2, wherein said surface plasmonic coupling provides a one-way mirror effect for said beam that allows a radio propagation in a first direction and only a reflection in the another direction.

4. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 3, further comprising said sensor being tunable.

5. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

said meta-material being composed of common metals such as Ag, Au and Cu; and

common dielectrics such as quartz, air and glass.

6. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 5, further comprising said corrugated strips being spaced a distance d along said sensor surface.

7. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 6, further comprising said corrugated strips having a trapezoidal shape.

8. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 6, further comprising said corrugated strips having a rectangular shape.

9. A one-way reflective sensor shield device, comprising:

a meta-material coating is deposited on a surface of said sensor;

a periodic grating array is deposited on said surface;

said array further comprising a pair of conductive corrugated strips separated by a gap;

said meta-material coating being composed of a dielectric material;

said array providing an imaginary non-symmetrical plane parallel to said surface extending from a one of said corrugated strips to another of said corrugated strips;

said sensor having a multitude of said periodic grating arrays;

said meta-material coating having a plurality of enhancement regions that generate a surface plasmonic coupling whenever said sensor is exposed to a beam of electromagnetic radiation based upon said meta-material coating having a positive dielectric constant and said corrugated strips having a negative dielectric constant;

said corrugated strips having a trapezoidal shape; and

said surface plasmonic coupling enhances a plurality of incident electromagnetic fields and controls a transmission coefficient of said incident electromagnetic fields to prevent said incident electromagnetic fields from propagating away from sensor allowing said sensor to be concealed and remain undetected.

10. The one-way reflective sensor shield device, as recited in claim 9, further comprising eliminating a backscatter of probing fields from radar.

11. The one-way reflective sensor shield device, as recited in claim 10, wherein said surface plasmonic coupling provides a one-way mirror effect for said beam that allows a radio propagation in a first direction and only a reflection in the another direction.

12. The one-way reflective sensor shield device, as recited in claim 11, further comprising said sensor being tunable.

13. The one-way reflective sensor shield device, as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

said meta-material being composed of common metals such as Ag, Au and Cu; and

common dielectrics such as quartz, air and glass.

14. A one-way reflective sensor shield system, comprising:

a meta-material coating is deposited on a surface of said sensor;

a periodic grating array is deposited on said surface;

said array further comprising a pair of conductive corrugated strips separated by a gap;

said meta-material coating being composed of a dielectric material;

said array providing an imaginary non-symmetrical plane parallel to said surface extending from a one of said corrugated strips to another of said corrugated strips;

said sensor having a multitude of said periodic grating arrays;

said meta-material coating having a plurality of enhancement regions that generate a surface plasmonic coupling whenever said sensor is exposed to a beam of electromagnetic radiation based upon said meta-material coating having a positive dielectric constant and said corrugated strips having a negative dielectric constant;

said corrugated strips having a rectangular shape; and

said surface plasmonic coupling enhances a plurality of incident electromagnetic fields and controls a transmission coefficient of said incident electromagnetic fields to prevent said incident electromagnetic fields from propagating away from sensor allowing said sensor to be concealed and remain undetected.

15. The one-way reflective sensor shield system, as recited in claim 14, further comprising eliminating a backscatter of probing fields from radar.

16. The one-way reflective sensor shield system, as recited in claim 15, wherein said surface plasmonic coupling provides a one-way mirror effect for said beam that allows a radio propagation in a first direction and only a reflection in the another direction.

17. The one-way reflective sensor shield system, as recited in claim 16, further comprising said sensor being tunable.

18. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

said meta-material being composed of common metals such as Ag, Au and Cu; and

common dielectrics such as quartz, air and glass.

19. The one-way reflective sensor shield, as recited in claim 18, further comprising said corrugated strips being spaced a distance d along said sensor surface.