Tri-state Metasurface-Based Electromagnetic Screen with Switchable Reflection, Transmission, and Absorption Functionalities

An electromagnetic screen with switchable transmission, reflection, and absorption functionalities is proposed. The screen is composed of tunable metasurfaces inserted in a multilayer structure. The composite material is numerically designed and experimentally validated at microwave frequencies. The electromagnetic screen is electronically controlled by an external current applied across the p–i–n diodes in the metasurfaces, and upon the bias current, its functionality can be switched between three states: transmission, reflection, or absorption of the incident electromagnetic wave. Such a composite metascreen opens the door to flexible wavefront control and shows potential applications in smart radomes for microwave sensors and antennas.