Compact electric-LC resonators for metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new design of electric-LC resonators with interdigital capacitors, reducing their size and improving metamaterial homogeneity, validated through simulations and experiments.

Contribution

It presents a novel IDC-loaded ELC resonator design that decreases size and enhances electromagnetic response in metamaterials.

Findings

Resonance frequency shifts downward with IDC loading.

Resonator size is decreased relative to wavelength.

Improved homogeneity reduces diffraction effects.

Abstract

Alternative designs to an electric-LC (ELC) resonator, which is a type of metamaterial inclusion, are presented in this article. Fitting the resonator with an interdigital capacitor (IDC) helps to increase the total capacitance of the structure. In effect, its resonance frequency is shifted downwards. This implies a decreased overall resonator size with respect to its operating wavelength. As a result, the metamaterial, composed of an array of IDC-loaded ELC resonators with their collective electromagnetic response, possesses improved homogeneity and hence is less influenced by diffraction effects of individual cells. The impact of incorporating an IDC into ELC resonators in terms of the electrical size at resonance and other relevant properties are investigated through both simulation and experiment.