One-Time Programmable Passive Electromagnetic Skins

TL;DR

This paper introduces one-time programmable electromagnetic skins (OTP-EMSs) that enable cost-effective, modular, and maintenance-free control of electromagnetic waves for smart environments, using atomic-level expendable components.

Contribution

It presents a novel OTP meta-atom design that allows for scenario-dependent EM wave manipulation with a one-time programmable feature, combining analytical, numerical, and experimental validation.

Findings

Successful demonstration of scenario-dependent EM wave control

Validation through analytical, numerical, and experimental results

Potential for low-cost, maintenance-free smart electromagnetic environments

Abstract

The implementation of simple, inexpensive, and mass-production-oriented solutions for smart electromagnetic environments (SEMEs) is dealt with by introducing the concept of "one-time programmable" electromagnetic skins (OTP-EMSs). The simultaneous achievement of modular fabrication, (one-time) configurable reflection properties, passive-static operation, and zero maintenance is yielded by integrating expendable components at the atomic level of EMSs. Towards this end, an OTP meta-atom structure is properly defined and optimized to build EMSs featuring the desired scenario-dependent EM wave manipulation functionalities. In order to illustrate the features as well as to point out the potentialities of OTP-EMSs, a representative set of analytical, numerical, and experimental results is reported by considering different apertures, illuminations, and EM wave manipulation requirements.