Resonant-type metamaterial transmission lines and their application to microwave device design

Abstract

Recientes descubrimientos han hecho posible la creación de un nuevo tipo de materiales: los metamateriales. En sólo algunos años, el desarrollo de esta nueva rama científica ha dado lugar a numerosos descubrimientos y avances tecnológicos basados en las nuevas propiedades que exhiben estos nuevos materiales. Esta tesis recoge parte del trabajo desarrollado durante los últimos años por el grupo GEMMA y CIMITEC en la aplicación de líneas de transmisión de tipo resonante en el desarrollo de dispositivos de microondas. Su pequeño tamaño y la controlabilidad de sus propiedades eléctricas son las principales propiedades de las líneas metamaterial basadas en resonadores concentrados que posibilitan su empleo en el diseño de dispositivos de microondas de pequeñas dimensiones. Estos dispositivos son de interés especialmente en aquellas aplicaciones en las que un reducido tamaño es un requerimiento importante. No obstante, además de su reducido tamaño, dichos dispositivos pueden ofrecer mejoras en su respuesta y e incluso nuevas funcionalidades. El documento ha sido escrito como compendio de 13 artículos. Dichos artículos contienen gran parte de los resultados desarrollados durante la realización de esta tesis y se detallan en una lista más adelante. El documento se ha dividido en varias secciones dedicadas a diferentes aspectos: <br/>-En el segundo capítulo se presenta una breve introducción sobre metamaterials y materiales zurdos, incluyendo sus propiedades y sus elementos constitutivos. Se dedica una especial atención a la aplicación de dichos conceptos a estructuras planares y la síntesis de líneas de transmisión metamaterial. <br/>-El tercer capítulo trata sobre la implementación de líneas de transmission metamaterial mediante el modelo resonante, que es el empleado en este trabajo. Se presentan y estudian diferentes tipos de líneas de transmission metamaterial, con especial énfasis en las estructuras empleadas en las aplicaciones presentadas en el capítulo 4. -El cuarto capítulo se dedica a las aplicaciones de las estructuras ya presentadas al diseño de components concretos, incluyendo diferentes tipos de divisors de potencia, filtros de banda ancha y estrecha y estructuras reconfigurables basadas en materiales ferroeléctricos. -Por ultimo, el quinto capítulo incluye las conclusions y posibles futuros objetivos. <br/>ARTÍCULOS: Debido a la normative, los artículos marcados con un asterisco (*) no pueden ser considerados como parte fundamental de esta tesis, bien por ser artículos presentados a conferencias especializadas en lugar de revistas de investigación, o pore star pendientes de publicación en el momento del depósito de esta tesis. -Article A: M. Gil, J. Bonache, I. Gil, J. García-García and F. Martín, "On the transmission properties of left handed microstrip lines implemented by complementary split rings resonators", Int. Journal Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields, vol. 19, pp 87-103, 2006. -Article B: M. Gil, J. Bonache, I. Gil, J. García-García and F. Martín, "Miniaturization of planar microwave circuits by using resonant-type left handed transmission lines", IET Microwave Antennas and Propagation, Vol.1, pp. 73-79, 2007. -Article C: M. Gil, I. Gil, J. Bonache, J. García-García and F. Martín, "Metamaterial transmission lines with extreme impedance values", Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, vol. 48, pp. 2499-2505, 2006. -Article D*: M. Gil, J. Bonache, I. Gil, J. García-García and F. Martín, "Artificial Left¬handed Transmission Lines for Small Size Microwave Components: Application to Power Dividers", presented at 36th European Microwave Conference (EuMC), Manchester (UK), pp. 1135-1138, 2006. <br/>-Article E: M. Gil, J. Bonache, J. Selga, J. García-García, F. Martín, "Broadband resonant type metamaterial transmission lines ", IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, vol. 17, pp. 97-99, 2007. -Article F: M. Gil, J. Bonache, J. García-García, J. Martel and F. Martín, "Composite Right/Left-Handed Metamaterial Transmission Lines Based on Complementary Split-Rings Resonators and Their Applications to Very Wideband and Compact Filter Design", IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 55, No. 6, pp. 1296-1304, 2007. -Article G: M. Gil, J. Bonache, F. Martín, "Metamaterial Filters with Attenuation Poles in the Pass Band for Ultra Wide Band Applications", Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 49, Issue 12, pp 2909-2913, 2007. -Article H : M. Gil, J. Bonache, J. García-García and F. Martín, "New Left Handed Microstrip Lines With Complementary Split Rings Resonators (CSRRs) Etched in the Signal Strip", IEEE MTT-S Int'l Microwave Symposium Digest, Honolulu (HA), USA, pp. 1419-1422, 2007. -Article I: M. Gil, J. Bonache and F. Martín, "Synthesis and applications of new left handed microstrip lines with complementary split-ring resonators etched on the signal strip", IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, Vol. 2, Issue 4, pp. 324-330, 2008. -Article J: J. Bonache, M. Gil, O. García-Abad and F. Martín, "Parametric analysis of microstrip lines loaded with complementary split ring resonators", Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 50 , Issue 8, pp. 2093-2096, 2008. -Article K*: M. Gil, J. Bonache, F. Martín. "Ultra Compact Band Pass Filters Implemented Through Complementary Spiral Resonators (CSRs)", IEEE MTT-S Int'l Microwave Symposium Digest, Atlanta, USA, pp.323-326, 2008. -Article L: M. Gil, J. Bonache, and F. Martín, "Metamaterial filters: A review", Metamaterials, vol. 2, pp. 186-197, 2008. -Article M*: M. Gil, C. Damm, A. Giere, M. Sazegar, J. Bonache, R. Jakoby, F. Martín. "Electrically Tunable SRRs at Microwave frequencies based on BST thick films". Electronic Letters (submitted).

Recent advances have made possible the emergence of a new kind of materials: Metamaterials. In just some years, the development of this new scientific branch has given rise to numerous discoveries and technological advances based on the new properties shown by these novel materials. The present Thesis gathers a part of the work developed during the last years in the Group GEMMA and CIMITEC in the application of resonant-type metamaterial transmission lines to the development of microwave devices. The small size and the controllability of the electrical characteristics of metamaterial transmission lines based on sub-wavelength resonators are the main properties that make possible their use in the synthesis of microwave devices with compact dimensions and exceptional features. Microwave components based on metamaterial transmission lines are, therefore, of special interest in those applications in which compactness is a critical aspect. However, besides their small size, such devices can also offer a performance improvement or even new functionalities. This document has been written as a compendium of 13 articles. The articles contain most of the results of the work developed during the realisation of this Thesis and are included in a complete list given below. The document has been divided in several sections devoted to different aspects: -The second chapter presents a brief introduction about Metamaterials and left-handed materials, including their properties and constituent elements. Special attention is paid to the application of such concepts to planar structures and the synthesis of metamaterial transmission lines. -The third chapter delves into the implementation of metamaterial transmission lines by means of the resonant approach, which is applied in this work. Different kinds of resonant-type metamaterial transmission lines are presented and studied, with special emphasis on those structures which have been employed in the devices presented in chapter 4. -The fourth chapter is devoted to the applications of the previously studied structures to the design of specific components, including different kinds of power dividers, narrow- and broad-band filters and reconfigurable structures based on ferroelectric materials. -Finally, the fifth chapter includes some conclusions and possible next goals are exposed. <br/>ARTICLES: Due to regulation reasons, the articles marked with * cannot be considered as a basic part of this Thesis, either for being Conference, but not Journal Articles, or for being pending acceptance by the time of the Thesis submission. -Article A: M. Gil, J. Bonache, I. Gil, J. García-García and F. Martín, "On the transmission properties of left handed microstrip lines implemented by complementary split rings resonators", Int. Journal Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields, vol. 19, pp 87-103, 2006. -Article B: M. Gil, J. Bonache, I. Gil, J. García-García and F. Martín, "Miniaturization of planar microwave circuits by using resonant-type left handed transmission lines", IET Microwave Antennas and Propagation, Vol.1, pp. 73-79, 2007. -Article C: M. Gil, I. Gil, J. Bonache, J. García-García and F. Martín, "Metamaterial transmission lines with extreme impedance values", Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, vol. 48, pp. 2499-2505, 2006. -Article D*: M. Gil, J. Bonache, I. Gil, J. García-García and F. Martín, "Artificial Left¬handed Transmission Lines for Small Size Microwave Components: Application to Power Dividers", presented at 36th European Microwave Conference (EuMC), Manchester (UK), pp. 1135-1138, 2006. <br/>-Article E: M. Gil, J. Bonache, J. Selga, J. García-García, F. Martín, "Broadband resonant type metamaterial transmission lines ", IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, vol. 17, pp. 97-99, 2007. -Article F: M. Gil, J. Bonache, J. García-García, J. Martel and F. Martín, "Composite Right/Left-Handed Metamaterial Transmission Lines Based on Complementary Split-Rings Resonators and Their Applications to Very Wideband and Compact Filter Design", IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 55, No. 6, pp. 1296-1304, 2007. -Article G: M. Gil, J. Bonache, F. Martín, "Metamaterial Filters with Attenuation Poles in the Pass Band for Ultra Wide Band Applications", Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 49, Issue 12, pp 2909-2913, 2007. -Article H : M. Gil, J. Bonache, J. García-García and F. Martín, "New Left Handed Microstrip Lines With Complementary Split Rings Resonators (CSRRs) Etched in the Signal Strip", IEEE MTT-S Int'l Microwave Symposium Digest, Honolulu (HA), USA, pp. 1419-1422, 2007. -Article I: M. Gil, J. Bonache and F. Martín, "Synthesis and applications of new left handed microstrip lines with complementary split-ring resonators etched on the signal strip", IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, Vol. 2, Issue 4, pp. 324-330, 2008. -Article J: J. Bonache, M. Gil, O. García-Abad and F. Martín, "Parametric analysis of microstrip lines loaded with complementary split ring resonators", Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 50 , Issue 8, pp. 2093-2096, 2008. -Article K*: M. Gil, J. Bonache, F. Martín. "Ultra Compact Band Pass Filters Implemented Through Complementary Spiral Resonators (CSRs)", IEEE MTT-S Int'l Microwave Symposium Digest, Atlanta, USA, pp.323-326, 2008. -Article L: M. Gil, J. Bonache, and F. Martín, "Metamaterial filters: A review", Metamaterials, vol. 2, pp. 186-197, 2008. -Article M*: M. Gil, C. Damm, A. Giere, M. Sazegar, J. Bonache, R. Jakoby, F. Martín. "Electrically Tunable SRRs at Microwave frequencies based on BST thick films". Electronic Letters (submitted).