Yu. V. Koltzov1

1 Nizhegorodskiy Research Institute (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia)
1 koltzovyv@mail.ru

The article is dedicated to unique structures – metamaterials – fantastic opportunities which allowed experimentally identify the newest effects of their application.

Considered in detail the most interesting effects using metamaterials and manufactured devices based on them in a wide variety of environments (in air and water) and frequency ranges (electricity and sound, light and infrared radiation, etc.).

A large number of newest effects with a detailed description of their features allow us to talk about the widespread use of metamaterials in technology to replace traditional bulky and heavy devices with new flat, lightweight and miniature devices as well as the development of fundamentally new devices. Metamaterials are able to fine tune and control the propagation of electromagnetic, optical and acoustic waves, they have mechanical applications.

Consideration of the newest meta-effects makes it possible take a fresh look at the practical use of metamaterials as well as stimulates the emergence of more advanced technologies and new ideas for the use of metamaterials which, with a huge variety of possibilities, are able in practice, for example, to completely repeat the work of living organisms.

Experiments in recent years show that metamaterials can be configured in such a way that they begin to interact not only with light and thermal, X-ray or ultraviolet radiation but also with a magnetic field as well as generate curious quantum effects. The newest experiments create the basis for large-scale industrial production of various devices based on metamaterials.

Koltzov Yu.V. Metamaterials in action – application possibilities. Science Intensive Technologies. 2025. V. 26. № 2. P. 59−79. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.18127/j19998465-202502-06 (in Russian)

1. Kol'cov Yu.V. Novejshie effekty primeneniya metamaterialov. Uspekhi sovremennoj radioelektroniki. 2021. T. 75. № 7. S. 5-26. DOI https://doi.org/10.18127/j20700784-202107-01
2. Kol'cov Yu.V. Metamaterialy proryvnoe napravlenie nanotekhnologij. Nanotekhnologii: razrabotka, primenenie – XXI vek. 2024. T. 16. № 1. S .5-24 DOI https://doi.org/10.18127/j22250980-202401-01.
3. Xie Y., Ye S., Reyes C. et. al. Microwave Metamaterials Made by Fused Deposition 3D Printing of a Highly Conductive Copper Based Filament. Applied Physics Letters. 2017. May. V. 110. № 18. P. 181903.
4. Joosting J.P. 3D-printed metamaterials offer unique optical properties. Smart2zero. 2019. April 08.
5. Sadeqi A., Nejad H.R., Owyeung R.E., Sonkusale S. Three dimensional printing of metamaterial embedded geometrical optics (MEGO). Microsystems & Nanoengineering. 2019. April 8. V. 5. № 1. P. 16.
6. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41378-019-0053-6/figures/
7. Flaherty N. Tiny 3D printed Statue of Liberty is just 1.8mm high. eeNews Europe. 2021. January 20.
8. Hettinga W. Acoustic metamaterial can focus sound like a lens. eeNews Europe. 2019. May 22.
9. Bai G.D., Ma Q., Cao W.K. et. al. Manipulation of Electromagnetic and Acoustic Wave Behaviors via Shared Digital Coding Metallic Metasurfaces. Advanced Intelligent Systems. 2019. September. V. 1. № 5. P. 1900038 (19).
10. Happich J. CNT-based metamaterial turns heat into light. eeNews Europe. 2019. July 17.
11. Gao W., Doiron C.F., Li X. et. al. Macroscopically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes as a Refractory Platform for Hyperbolic Thermal Emitters. ACS Photonics. 2019. V. 6. № 7. P. 16021609.
12. Hogan H. Metamaterials Extend Photonics. Photonics Spectra. 2020. March. V. 54. № 3. P. 4043.
13. Zhang X., Yang S., Yue W. et. al. Direct polarization measurement using a multiplexed Pancharatnam-Berry metahologram. Optica. 2019. V. 6. № 9. Р. 11901198.
14. Phase-Changing Metamaterials: A New Frontier in Technology. Advanced Science News. 2019. October 21.
15. Burrows L. Snake-inspired robot slithers even better than predecessor. SEAS press contact. 2019. April 18.
16. Snake-Inspired Robot. Motion Design Magazine. 2019. June. V. 43. № 6.
17. Browne J. Smart Materials Behave Like Robots. Microwaves & RF. 2021. March 22.
18. Pell R. Spider-inspired depth sensor fuses optical, imaging breakthroughs. Smar2zero. 2019. October 30.
19. Happich J. Bio-inspired metalens extracts depth from defocus. eeNews Europe. 2019. November 08.
20. Guo Q., Shi Z., Huang Y.W. et. al. Compact single-shot metalens depth sensors inspired by eyes of jumping spiders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2019. November 12. V. 116. № 46. P. 2295922965.
21. Griffin M. Researchers created a digital metamaterial to create better cloaking devices. World Futures Forum. 2019. November 26.
22. Cui T.J., Qi M.Q., Wan X. et. al. Coding metamaterials, digital metamaterials and programmable metamaterials. Nature. 2014. October. V. 3. P. 218.
23. Liaskos C., Pyrialakos G.G., Pitilakis A. et.al. The Internet of Metamaterial Things and Their Software Enablers. ITU Journal on Future and Evolving Technologies. 2020. 11 December. V. 1. № 1. (23PP.)
24. Happich J. Centimeter-scale glass metalens developed for VR, imaging. Smart2zero. 2019. December 04.
25. Happich J. «Game-changing» metalens rivals performance of traditional lenses. Smart2zero. 2020. June 30.
26. Yang S. Engineers create game-changing metalens that breaks records in performance. Berkeley Engineering. 2020. June 25.
27. Flaherty N. Metamaterial creates flat fisheye lens. eeNews Europe. RF Microwaves. 2020. September 21.
28. Flaherty N. Flat fisheye metalens produces 180degree panoramic images. Smart2zero. 2020. September 21.
29. Shalaginov M.Y., An S., Yang F. et. al. Single Element Diffraction Limited Fisheye Metalens. Nano Letters. 2020. V. 20. № 10. P. 74297437.
30. https://news.mit.edu/2020/flat-fisheye-lens-0918
31. Fan C.Y., Lin C.P., Su G.J. Ultrawide-angle and high-efficiency metalens in hexagonal arrangement. Scientific Reports. 2020. September 24. V. 10. № 1. P. 15677.
32. Chu H., Qi J., Qiu J. An efficiently-designed wideband single-metalens with high-efficiency and wide-angle focusing for passive millimeter-wave focal plane array imaging. Optics Express. 2020. February 3. V. 28. № 3. P. 38233834.
33. Kim C., Kim S.J., Lee B. Doublet metalens design for high numerical aperture and simultaneous correction of chromatic and monochromatic aberrations. Optics Express. 2020. June 8. V. 28. № 12. P. 1805918076.
34. Li B., Piyawattanametha W., Qiu Z. Metalens-Based Miniaturized Optical Systems. Micromachines (Basel). 2019. May 8. V.10. № 5. P. 310.