Achieving a tunable metasurface based on a structurally reconfigurable array using SMA.

We introduce a structurally reconfigurable metasurface which is made of shape memory alloys (SMA). It could change the morphology of the unit cells repeatedly as we expect in response to a thermal stimulus and realize a tuning range from 13.3GHz to 17.2GHz for both polarizations simultaneously. Equivalent circuit models describe the operational principle and design methodology, the physical mechanism is interpreted with the variation of surface current distribution on the structure. The experimental results coincide with the numerical simulations, making the all-metal metasurface an attractive choice for manipulating the electromagnetic wave in a wide range of spectrums with the merits of higher controllability for dynamic behavior and greater freedom for design and manufacturing.