A 4D-Printed Electromagnetic Cloaking and Illusion Function Convertible Metasurface

The appearance of metasurfaces provides a new way for the realization of cloaking and illusion devices. However, most proposed metasurface functional devices only display a single cloaking and illusion function. Herein, a dynamic metasurface device with switchable electromagnetic cloaking and illusion functions is fabricated based on a 4D-printing process. Owing to the shape memory polymer's characteristic of shape change above the glass transition temperature, under the stimulation of temperature, it can control the structural shape change of the metasurface, change the phase distribution law, and realize dynamic cloaking and illusion functions. As proof, the metasurface samples with changeable structure are designed and fabricated by fused deposition modeling of 4D printing combined with liquid metal injection molding. Both the simulation and experimental results confirm that the designed metasurface has excellent cloaking and illusion performance at microwave frequency. This work provides a new idea for the realization of integrated metasurface devices with electromagnetic cloaking and illusion functions.

Automated summary

A dynamic metasurface device with switchable electromagnetic cloaking and illusion functions is fabricated based on a 4D-printing process. The shape memory polymer allows for control of the structural shape change of the metasurface under temperature stimulation, enabling dynamic cloaking and illusion functions.