BEAMFORMER
A beamformer of this invention is a beamformer configured to perform beamforming of an input electromagnetic wave and output an output electromagnetic wave, which includes a cell made of a metamaterial, and a filling material configured to fill a periphery of the cell. The metamaterial is made of a conductive organic material or a nanocarbon material. The filling material is made of a nonconductive organic material. The cell has an inductance and a capacitance. A phase of the input electromagnetic wave is changed by a change of at least one of the inductance and the capacitance.
1 .- 8 . (canceled)
9 . A beamformer configured to perform beamforming of an input electromagnetic wave and output an output electromagnetic wave, the beamformer comprising:
a cell comprising a metamaterial; and
a filling material configured to fill a periphery of the cell, wherein the metamaterial is made a conductive organic material or a nanocarbon material, the filling material is made of a nonconductive organic material, and cell has an inductance and a capacitance, and wherein a phase of the input electromagnetic wave is changed by a change of the inductance or the capacitance.
10 . The beamformer according to claim 9 , wherein:
the cell includes a metamaterial medium which includes a gap,
the beamformer comprises a capacitance element connected in parallel with the gap,
the capacitance of the cell is an equivalent capacitance of a capacitance of the gap and a capacitance of the capacitance element, and
the capacitance of the capacitance element is configured to be changed by an applied voltage.
11 . The beamformer according to claim 10 , wherein the cell has a multilayer structure.
12 . The beamformer according to claim 10 , wherein a size of the cell is not more than half a wavelength of the input electromagnetic wave.
13 . The beamformer according to claim 10 , wherein the cell is one of a plurality of cells of the beamformer, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a metamaterial, and the plurality of cells is arranged in a matrix.
14 . The beamformer according to claim 13 , wherein a respective capacitance each cell of the plurality of cells does not vary along a first one of a row direction or a column direction of the matrix, and a respective inductance or the respective capacitance of each the plurality of cells varies along a second one of the row direction or the column direction.
15 . The beamformer according to claim 9 , wherein the inductance or the capacitance of the cell is based on a geometric feature of the cell.
16 . The beamformer according to claim 15 , wherein the cell has a multilayer structure.
17 . The beamformer according to claim 15 , wherein a size of the cell is not more than half a wavelength of the input electromagnetic wave.
18 . The beamformer according to claim 15 , wherein the cell is one of a plurality of cells of the beamformer, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a metamaterial, and the plurality of cells is arranged in a matrix.
19 . The beamformer according to claim 18 , wherein a respective capacitance each cell of the plurality of cells does not vary along a first one of a row direction or a column direction of the matrix, and a respective inductance or the respective capacitance of each the plurality of cells varies along a second one of the row direction or the column direction.
20 . The beamformer according to claim 9 , wherein the cell has a multilayer structure.
21 . The beamformer according to claim 20 , wherein a size of the cell is not more than half a wavelength of the input electromagnetic wave.
22 . The beamformer according to claim 20 , wherein the cell is one of a plurality of cells of the beamformer, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a metamaterial, and the plurality of cells is arranged in a matrix.
23 . The beamformer according to claim 9 , wherein a size of the cell is not more than half a wavelength of the input electromagnetic wave.
24 . The beamformer according to claim 23 , wherein the cell is one of a plurality of cells of the beamformer, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a metamaterial, and the plurality of cells is arranged in a matrix.
25 . The beamformer according to claim 9 , wherein the cell is one of a plurality of cells of the beamformer, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a metamaterial, and the plurality of cells is arranged in a matrix.
26 . The beamformer according to claim 25 , wherein a respective capacitance each cell of the plurality of cells does not vary along a first one of a row direction or a column direction of the matrix, and a respective inductance or the respective capacitance of each the plurality of cells varies along a second one of the row direction or the column direction.
27 . The beamformer according to claim 26 , wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a curved surface.
28 . The beamformer according to claim 25 , wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a form of a curved surface.