Experimental data for the instantaneous pressure fields at 13 kHz, showing that the power flow is strongly confined in four directions. From The acoustic phase resonances and surface waves supported by a compound rigid grating
Acoustic and fluidic metamaterials
Acoustic and fluidic metamaterials
Our research
Acoustic metamaterials
Acoustic metamaterials are composite materials, typically with small and closely placed resonant inclusions, which have been designed to control, direct, and manipulate sound.
Propagation of sound in materials is mostly dictated by the bulk modulus and mass density, which are analogies of the electromagnetic parameters, permittivity and permeability.
However, just like in the electromagnetic domain, there is a drive towards ever increased device performance and functionality, and metamaterials offer an opportunity to look beyond naturally-occurring materials since they can be engineered to have completely artificial behaviour.
Our research
Our work in acoustics is fundamental in nature, exploring the phenomena that are revealed through adopting metamaterial concepts. It focuses on sound propagation both in air, and underwater.
We investigate:
- the acoustic absorption achieved via structuring of materials,
- the selective transmission through apertures and phononic crystal structures,
- the emission of thermally generated sound,
- the coupling of sound to mechanical vibrations and fluid flow,
- the excitation of acoustic surface waves for the channelling of sound across surfaces.
Real-world applications
Our work continues to be of great relevance to end users, particularly those interested in signature control, thin absorbers, noise control, acoustic wave forming and imaging, and energy harvesting.
Fluidic metamaterials
Linking together acoustic metamaterials with fluid flow is a natural extension for our research. For example, screening sound using a perforated metasurface that allows free-flow of air, has application to the design of windows in hot, noisy environments.
Yet there has been little work on more widely applying general metamaterial concepts to realistic fluid flow situations, despite the fact that this technology might have great potential - providing new avenues for the control of flow noise, energy harvesting, and the shielding of surface mounted instrumentation.
We have a number of ongoing projects to exploit this potential, exploring the fundamental physical mechanisms that come into play when metasurfaces, metamaterials, and driven mechanical elements are used within fluids.
These include using patterned metasurfaces or elastic resonators to reduce drag, harvest energy, or delay the onset of turbulence. We are also actively pursuing the study of magnetically actuated motors (or ‘swimmers’), and the potential of influencing microfluidics via collections of these meta-atoms.
Facilities
We have experimental facilities that allow for the study of sound reflection, transmission, or absorption from test panels in air and underwater, either with pulses (time-domain) or via continuous wave excitation.
We have scanning stages to map pressure fields in three-dimensional space in air and inside the water tank, and a semi-anechoic chamber for airborne measurements.
Flow tanks and particle image velocimetry apparatus are provided by our colleagues in the department of Engineering, and we are experienced users of commercial numerical modelling software (e.g. Comsol) and in-house developed analytical and semi-numerical methods.
Rapid Prototyping
- We have an Ultimaker S5 3D-printer in our labs, which we use for every-day manufacture of cm- and mm- sized photonic and phononic crystal and metamaterial designs for microwave and acoustic experimentation. It has a build volume of 330 x 240 x 300mm with layer resolution < 100 microns.
- We also have use of further college facilities in Exeter’s Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing.
Acoustic experimentation
- A collimated beam acoustic apparatus for measuring the air-borne far-field response of test samples to high frequencies, in the frequency and time domain.
- A hydro acoustics facility to similarly characterise the response of samples underwater in the time-domain.
- Each set-up includes a computer controlled 3D scanner provides the ability for mapping local pressure fields.
- We have an semi-anechoic chamber for air-borne measurements and a 3 x 1.75 x 1.2 m (5000 litre) water tank for the hydroacoustics.
Numerical and analytical modelling
- We are advanced users of Ansoft HFSS, CST Microwave studio and Comsol Multiphysics for numerical modelling of electromagnetic and acoustic systems.
- Differential methods for predicting the response of multilayered corrugated surfaces (diffraction gratings) have been developed, together with modal matching analytical techniques for predicting the response of well-defined photonic structures.
- Our team have expertise in the development of finite difference time domain (FDTD) methods for predicting the response of advanced photonic materials, including the incorporation of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for the study of magnetic materials.
This subtheme is led by Professor Alastair Hibbins, working alongside Professor Rob Hicken, Dr David Horsell, Dr Simon Horsley, Dr Paul Keatley, Professor Feodor Ogrin, Professor Roy Sambles, Dr Tim Starkey and Dr Gareth Ward.
- Beadle et al., The acoustic phase resonances and surface waves supported by a compound rigid grating, Sci. Rep. (2018) [PDF]
- Starkey et al., Thin structured rigid body for acoustic absorption, Applied Physics Letters (2017) [PDF]
- Shelley et al., Fluid Mobility over Corrugated Surfaces in the Stokes Regime, Physics of Fluids (2016) [PDF]
- Ward et al., Acoustic transmission through compound subwavelength slit arrays, Physical Review B (2016) [PDF]
- Ward et al., Boundary-Layer Effects on Acoustic Transmission Through Narrow Slit Cavities, Phys Rev Lett (2015) [PDF]
- Carretero-Palacios et al., Broadband and broadangle extraordinary acoustic transmission through subwavelength apertures surrounded by fluids, New Journal of Physics (2014) [PDF]
- Murray et al., An acoustic double fishnet using Helmholtz resonators, J Acoust Soc Am. (2014) [PDF]
- Murray at al., Control of the stop band of an acoustic double fishnet, J Acoust Soc Am. (2013) [PDF]
- Bell et al., Low acoustic transmittance through a holey structure, Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (2012) [PDF]
Funded research projects and studentships
Current projects include:
- TEAM-A: The tailored electromagnetic and acoustic materials accelerator (EPSRC, EP/R004781/1)
- XM2: EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Metamaterials (EPSRC, EP/L015331/1)
- UK Acoustics Network (EPSRC, EP/R005001/1)
- Acoustic Metamaterials (DSTL)
- Understanding the interaction of acoustic metamaterials and turbulent flow - a collaboration with Virginia Tech (ONR)
Studentship projects are part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Metamaterials, and include:
Project title |
Researcher |
Funder |
|---|---|---|
| Metamaterial concepts for the control of hydrodynamic flow | Sam Shelley | Funded by DSTL |
| Underwater Acoustic Metasurfaces | Tom Graham | EPSRC ICASE with Thales |
| Exploration of Acoustic Waveguiding | Joe Beadle | Part-funded by QinetiQ |
| Ferromagnetic micro-swimmers | Josh Hamilton | |
| Microfluidic metamaterials for lab-on-a-chip technology | Elizabeth Martin | |
| Micro-acoustic arrays for active sound control | David Tatnell | Part-funded by QinetiQ |
| Magnetoelastic metamaterials for lab-on-a-chip technology | Jacob Binsley | |
| Experimental topics in the manipulation of sound using metamaterials and metasurfaces | Letitia Chisari | Funded by DSTL |
| Metasurfaces and Phononic Crystals for Manipulating Fluid Flow and Acoustics | Benjamin Pearce | Funded by DSTL |
| Control of flow-induced near-field noise through the use of metasurfaces | Beth Staples | EPSRC ICASE with Thales |