One-way absorber for linearly polarized electromagnetic wave utilizing composite metamaterial.

This paper presents the proposal and practical design of a one-way absorber for selective linearly polarized electromagnetic (EM) wave. The EM wave polarization rotation property has been combined with polarization selective absorption utilizing a composite metamaterial slab. The energy of certain linearly polarized EM wave can be absorbed along one particular incident direction, but will be fully transmitted through the opposite direction. For the cross polarized wave, the direction dependent propagation properties are totally reversed. A prototype designed with a total slab thickness of only one-sixth of the operating wavelength is verified through both full-wave simulation and experimental measurement in the microwave regime. It achieves absorption efficiency over 83% along one direction, while transmission efficiency over 83% along the opposite direction for one particular linearly polarized wave. The proposed one-way absorber can be applied in EM devices achieving asymmetric transmission for linearly polarized wave or polarization control. The composite metamaterial that combines different functionalities into one design may provide more potential in metamaterial designs for various applications.