Bifunctional Metamaterials with Simultaneous and Independent Manipulation of Thermal and Electric Fields

Abstract

Metamaterials offer a powerful way to manipulate a variety of physical fields ranging from wave fields (electromagnetic field, acoustic field, elastic wave, etc.), static fields (static magnetic field, static electric field) to diffusive fields (thermal field, diffusive mass). However, the relevant reports and studies are usually conducted on a single physical field or functionality. In this study, we proposed and experimentally demonstrated a bifunctional metamaterial which can manipulate thermal and electric fields simultaneously and independently. Specifically, a composite with independently controllable thermal and electric conductivity was introduced, on the basis of which a bifunctional device capable of shielding thermal flux and concentrating electric current simultaneously was designed, fabricated and characterized. This work provides an encouraging example of metamaterials transcending their natural limitations, which offers a promising future in building a broad platform for manipulation of multi-physics field.

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• A Perfect Metamaterial Absorber
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• Experimental demonstration of a multiphysics cloak: manipulating heat flux and electric current simultaneously
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Cited by in corpus (4)

• Transforming heat transfer with thermal metamaterials and devices
• Controlling mass and energy diffusion with metamaterials
• Simultaneously realizing thermal and electromagnetic cloaking by multi-physical null medium
• Experimental demonstration of a thermal-EM concentrator for enhancing EM signals and converging heat fluxes simultaneously