Metamaterial, and method and apparatus for adjusting frequency of metamaterial

A method for adjusting a frequency of a metamaterial, the metamaterial comprising a substrate material and an electrically controllable microstructure unit array that is attached on the substrate material and comprises a plurality of electrically controllable microstructure units, each electrically controllable microstructure unit comprising an external metal structure, an internal metal structure, and a varactor diode;

• the internal metal structure and the external metal structure defining a ring-shaped channel, the varactor diode disposed in the ring-shaped channel of each electrically controllable microstructure unit;
• wherein the method comprises:
• step 1:
• obtaining a voltage applied across the varactor diode, wherein the voltage applied across the varactor diode is a variable reverse bias direct current voltage;
• step 2:
• determining whether an operating frequency of the metamaterial satisfies a predetermined frequency;
• and
• step 3:
• adjusting the voltage across the varactor diode if it is determined that the operating frequency of the metamaterial does not satisfy the predetermined frequency, so as to make the operating frequency of the metamaterial satisfy the predetermined frequency;
• wherein the operating frequency of the metamaterial changes as the voltage across the varactor diode changes.

An apparatus for adjusting a frequency of a metamaterial, the metamaterial comprising a substrate material and an electrically controllable microstructure unit array that is attached on the substrate material and comprises a plurality of electrically controllable microstructure units, each electrically controllable microstructure unit comprising an external metal structure, an internal metal structure, and a varactor diode;

• the internal metal structure and the external metal structure defining a ring-shaped channel, the varactor diode disposed in the ring-shaped channel of each electrically controllable microstructure unit;
• wherein the apparatus comprises:
• an obtaining unit, configured for obtaining a voltage applied across the varactor diode, wherein the voltage applied across the varactor diode is a variable reverse bias direct current voltage;
• a determining unit, configured for determining whether an operating frequency of the metamaterial satisfies a predetermined frequency;
• and
• an adjustment unit, configured for adjusting the voltage across the varactor diode if it is determined that the operating frequency of the metamaterial does not satisfy the predetermined frequency, so as to make the operating frequency of the metamaterial satisfy the predetermined frequency;
• wherein the operating frequency of the metamaterial changes as the voltage across the varactor diode changes.