Anisotropic metamaterials for full control of acoustic waves

Johan Christensen , Javier Garcia de Abajo

We show that a holey anisotropic metamaterial can exert subwavelength control over sound waves beyond that achieved with naturally occurring materials [Nature Physics 3, 851 (2007)]. We predict that, for appropriate choices of geometrical parameters, these metamaterials support negative refraction, backward wave propagation along a direction opposite with respect to the acoustic energy flow, and subwavelength imaging [Nature Physics 7, 52 (2011)] with both the source and the image situated far from the material. Acoustic subwavelength control can be advantageous for (bio-)medical ultrasonography and diagnostic imaging, acoustouflidic steering of microparticles and microorganisms, and sonochemistry enhanced by sound focusing.

Mots clés: Acoustic metamaterial; Negative refraction; Backward wave propagation; Subwavelength imaging

Domaines: Acoustique [physics.class-ph]

Johan Christensen, Javier Garcia de Abajo. Anisotropic metamaterials for full control of acoustic waves. Acoustics 2012, Apr 2012, Nantes, France. ⟨hal-00810624⟩