Metamaterials-based sensor to detect and locate nonlinear elastic sources

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4934493
• Publication Date: 2015-10-22T07:58:06Z
• Authors: Antonio S. Gliozzi; Marco Miniaci; Federico Bosia; Nicola M. Pugno; Marco Scalerandi
• Keywords: Metamaterials; Elastic waves ;Mechanical waves; Mirrors; Acoustic sensing; metamaterials, nonlinearity, nondestructive testing; 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology

In recent years, acoustic metamaterials have attracted increasing scientific interest for very diverse technological applications ranging from sound abatement to ultrasonic imaging, mainly due to their ability to act as band-stop filters. At the same time, the concept of chaotic cavities has been recently proposed as an efficient tool to enhance the quality of nonlinear signal analysis, particularly in the ultrasonic/acoustic case. The goal of the present paper is to merge the two concepts in order to propose a metamaterial-based device that can be used as a natural and selective linear filter for the detection of signals resulting from the propagation of elastic waves in nonlinear materials, e.g., in the presence of damage, and as a detector for the damage itself in time reversal experiments. Numerical simulations demonstrate the feasibility of the approach and the potential of the device in providing improved signal-to-noise ratios and enhanced focusing on the defect locations.