Subwavelength Metawaveguide Filters and Metaports

This paper proposes an alternative technique for the design of miniaturized waveguide filters based on locally resonant metamaterials (LRMs). We implement ultrasmall metamaterial filters (metafilters) by exploiting a subwavelength (sub-λ) guiding mechanism in evanescent hollow waveguides, which are loaded by small resonators. In particular, we use composite pin-pipe waveguides (CPPWs) built from a hollow metallic pipe loaded by a set of resonant pins, which are spaced by deep-subwavelength distances. We demonstrate that, in such structures, multiple resonant scattering nucleates a sub-λ mode with a customizable bandwidth below the induced hybridization band gap (HBG) of the LRM. The sub-λ guided mode and the HBG, respectively, induce pass and rejection bands in a finite-length CPPW, creating a filter, the main properties of which are largely decoupled from the specific arrangement of the resonant inclusions. To guarantee compatibility with existing technologies, we propose a subwavelength method to match the small CPPW filters to standard waveguide interfaces, which we call a metaport. Finally, we build and test a family of low- and high-order ultracompact aluminum CPPW filters in the X and Ku bands (10–18 GHz). Our measurements demonstrate the customizability of the bandwidth and the robustness of the passband against geometrical scaling. The three-dimensional printed prototypes, which are 1 order of magnitude smaller and lighter than traditional filters and are also compatible with standard waveguide interfaces, may find applications in future satellite systems and 5G infrastructures.