Description
It has recently been discovered that glide-symmetric (GS) artificial materials, characterized by a special symmetry inside their constitutive unit cells, possess outstanding electromagnetic properties (as e.g. ultra-wide band propagation, strong isolation and high absorption features) capable to address the open challenges of modern RF systems, motivated by the increasing demand of ubiquitous connectivity, and the growing automation of transports.
The increasing demand of ubiquitous connectivity in our society among disparate users (satellites, cars, aircrafts) and of process automation (transport, industry) requires the availability of reliable on-the-move connections and advanced sensing features. It is now widely accepted that these constraints can only be satisfied in the millimeter-wave range of frequencies (30-300 GHz), where enough bandwidth is available to grant the required data rate and resolution, and the device size is compatible with embedded applications. Unfortunately, phased arrays (the established technology for integrated scanning communicating/radar systems) are not an acceptable solution in the millimeter-wave band: at those frequencies electronic modules driving phased arrays become too expensive and lossy to be deployed on a large scale.
All the technological challenges of modern communication and sensing systems can be addressed by a new class of artificial materials, characterized by an engineered pattern exhibiting glide symmetry. Here, the waves propagate between identical contactless surfaces with misaligned patterns, radiating either along the structure or at its end. It has been recently discovered that these special symmetries lead to unprecedented properties such as ultra-large bandwidth of operation, higher angular stability (isotropy), beam scanning without significant pattern degradation, strong rejection when used in stop-bands as Electromagnetic Band Gap (i.e., at frequencies in which the wave does not propagate) and significantly reduced losses due to dielectric-less propagation.