Patent attributes
A non-reciprocal device incorporating metamaterials which exhibit non-reciprocity through angular momentum biasing. The metamaterial, such as a ring resonator, is angular-momentum biased. This is achieved by applying a suitable mechanical or spatio-temporal modulation to resonant inclusions of the metamaterial, thereby producing strong non-reciprocity. In this manner, non-reciprocity can be produced without requiring the use of large and bulky magnets to produce a static magnetic field. The metamaterials of the present invention can be realized by semiconducting and/or metallic materials which are widely used in integrated circuit technology, and therefore, contrary to magneto-optical materials, can be easily integrated into the non-reciprocal devices and large microwave or optical systems. The metamaterials of the present invention can be compact at various frequencies due to the enhanced wave-matter interaction in the constituent resonant inclusions. Additionally, by using the metamaterials of the present invention, the power consumed in the biasing network is drastically reduced.