Dynamically reconfigurable metamaterial-based scatterer

Metamaterials are artificially created media, which allow introducing additional degrees of freedom into electromagnetic design by controlling constitutive material parameters. Reconfigurable metamaterials can further enlarge those capabilities by time variable as an additional controllable parameter. Here we demonstrate the first of a kind reconfigurable volumetric metamaterial-based scatterer, which electromagnetic properties are controlled dynamically with light. In particular, hybridized resonances in arrays of split ring resonators give rise to a collective mode, which poses properties of artificial high-frequency magnetism. Resonant behavior of each individual ring is controlled with a photocurrent, which allows obtaining fast of macroscopic effective permeability. As the result, artificial RF magnon resonant excitation within a subwavelength spherical scatterer is governed by light intensity. Four-dimensional control (both space and time) over electromagnetic scattering open new venues for modern applications, including wireless communications and automotive radars to name just few.