Actively logical modulation of MEMS-based terahertz metamaterial

The integration of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) with metamaterial has provided a novel route to achieve programmability via its reconfigurable capabilities. Here, we propose and demonstrate a MEMS-based metadevice by using switchable winding-shaped cantilever metamaterial (WCM) for active logical modulation. WCM can be actuated by external driving voltage, and the logical modulation bit is performed by releasing MEMS cantilevers to represent “on” and “off” states. While the underneath substrate surface of a MEMS-based metadevice is rough after releasing the cantilevers, the metadevice is allowed to operate on the reconfigurable switching state and avoid the snapping down of the device when the system is overloaded. Such a reconfigurable and programmable MEMS-based metadevice exhibits multifunctional characteristics to simultaneously perform the logic operations of “OR” and “AND” gates. By exploiting the tuning mechanism of the MEMS-based metadevice, the arbitrary metamaterial configuration can be implanted into WCM. This opens a wide avenue to further enlarge the operating frequency range and applications in optoelectronic fields. These unique results provide various possibilities in multifunctional switching, active logical modulating, and optical computing applications.