The Quest for Ultimate Electromagnetics using Spatial Transformations (QUEST)

利用空间变换探索终极电磁学 (QUEST)

基本信息

批准号：
EP/I034548/1
负责人：
Y Hao
金额：
$ 588.48万
依托单位：
Queen Mary University of London
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2011
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2011 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI034548%2F1
关键词：
Quest Ultimate Electromagnetics using Spatial

项目摘要

From Marconi's first transatlantic wireless transmission through Sir Henry Tizard's radar to modern cellular communications, the rapid advance of applied electromagnetics during the 20th century has changed our world. Now, in the 21st century, a new revolution in exploiting electromagnetism (EM) is emerging; one that brings together two recent developments: spatial transformations and the design and fabrication of novel electromagnetic materials. The idea of spatial transformations (ST) is to provide entirely fresh solutions to the distribution of the spatial arrangement of materials so as to enable new ways to manipulate the emission, propagation and absorption of EM radiation. This goes far beyond what can be accomplished with traditional materials in the form of lenses and mirrors, requiring both conventional materials and also those with properties that do not exist in nature (i.e., metamaterials). ST are at the heart of exciting ideas such as invisibility cloaking and optical illusion. To make the required exotic materials in large quantities, modern fabrication techniques will be needed, including the use of nano-composites and graded-index coatings. The material palette can be further widened by the inclusion of active metamaterials and superconducting dielectric composites. As an example of the type of application one may envisage, there is an increasing demand for wireless communications anywhere and at any time. However, many environments such as offices and crowded shopping centres contain obstacles and scatterers that lead to signals being 'confused'. Signals either reach places they ideally should not, or worse, are not accessible where they are required. Current methods try to deal with these problems by additional signal processing of the received signals, but this can only be seen as an interim fix. A more resilient solution would be to modify the local EM environment so as to ensure quality reception at any given location by, for example, making certain obstacles or scatterers 'invisible'. Materials and devices based upon the concept of STs offer the exciting prospect of warping electromagnetic space so as to overcome problems due to obstacles and scatterers. Such applications are at the heart of the QUEST project. We will build and demonstrate several devices in collaboration with defence, aerospace and communication stakeholders in the areas of healthcare, security, energy and the digital economy. QUEST solutions will place the UK in a leading position in this exciting area, pushing the conceptual boundaries whilst at the same time exploring the practical problems of design and manufacturability.The Programme Grant will bring together a new grouping of leading UK experimentalists and theorists from physics, materials science and electronic engineering to work together on the exciting opportunities and challenges emerging in the area of spatial transformations (STs) and electromagnetism (EM). The potential of the underlying ST approaches however have much wider applicability than cloaking alone, in arguably more important applications that span communications, energy transfer, sensors and security. However, theory and concepts are outstripping practical demonstration and testing, leading to a mismatch in what may be theorised and computed and what can be realised for impact in society and commerce. We contend that the timing is now ideal for UK theorists, modellers, manufacturers and engineers to work together to maintain the UK strength in this field, with a clear focus on the reduction to practice and demonstration of potentially radical new concepts and devices.

从马可尼（Marconi）通过亨利·蒂扎德（Henry Tizard）的雷达雷达（Sir Henry Tizard）的第一次跨大西洋无线传播到现代蜂窝通信，20世纪应用电磁学的快速发展改变了我们的世界。现在，在21世纪，开发电磁主义（EM）的新革命正在出现。一种汇集了两个最近的发展：空间转换以及新型电磁材料的设计和制造。空间转换（ST）的想法是为材料的空间排列分布提供完全新鲜的解决方案，以便能够操纵EM辐射的发射，传播和吸收的新方法。这远远超出了传统材料以镜头和镜子的形式所能完成的，这些材料既需要传统材料，又需要具有自然界中不存在的特性的材料（即超材料）。 ST是令人兴奋的想法的核心，例如隐身性掩饰和光学幻觉。为了使所需的外来材料大量，需要现代制造技术，包括使用纳米复合材料和分级索引涂料。通过包括活性超材料和超导介电复合材料，可以进一步扩大材料调色板。作为一个可能设想的应用程序类型的一个示例，任何时间和随时都有对无线通信的需求不断增加。但是，许多环境（例如办公室和拥挤的购物中心）都包含障碍物和散射器，导致信号“困惑”。信号要么到达他们理想情况下不应该或更糟的地方无法在需要的地方访问。当前方法试图通过接收信号的其他信号处理来解决这些问题，但这只能看作是临时修复。一个更具弹性的解决方案是修改本地EM环境，以确保任何给定位置的质量接收，例如使某些障碍物或散射器“无形”。基于STS概念的材料和设备提供了扭曲电磁空间的激动人心的前景，从而克服了由于障碍物和散射器而引起的问题。此类应用是任务项目的核心。我们将在医疗保健，安全，能源和数字经济领域的国防，航空航天和传播利益相关者合作建造和演示多个设备。 Quest Solutions将在这个令人兴奋的领域中将英国处于领先地位，并在探索设计和制造性的实际问题上推动了概念界限。该计划赠款将汇集一组新的英国领先的实验家和理论家的新组合，来自物理，材料科学和电子工程，从而在Spatial Transformations（Em）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）（EM）。然而，基础ST方法的潜力比单独掩盖具有更大的适用性，这在涵盖通信，能源传递，传感器和安全性的更重要的应用中。但是，理论和概念超越了实际的演示和测试，从而导致理论上和计算的内容不匹配，以及在社会和商业中可以实现的影响。我们认为，现在的时机是英国理论家，建模者，制造商和工程师共同努力以维持英国在该领域的实力的理想选择，并明确着眼于减少练习和展示潜在的激进新概念和设备。