The Metamaterials and Phononics group (METAs) develops theoretical, numerical and experimental researches on acoustic and elastic metamaterials and metasurfaces, and more generally on wave propagation in complex media.

METAs research activities are based on 2 main axes:

• Understanding the physical mechanisms involved in metamaterials, metasurfaces and phononic crystals.
• The design and realization of innovative devices and systems capable of manipulating the propagation of acoustic and elastic waves in a highly controlled manner.

The approaches on which the strategy is based are theoretical, numerical and experimental.

The group has had long experience in the field of metamaterials, phononics and their interactions with acoustic, elastic and vibration waves. It has developed many innovative concepts, notably concerning :

• acoustic absorption at very low frequencies
• super-focusing
• acoustic holography

With an intensive numerical calculation platform, fabrication equipment and experimental measurements for acoustics and vibrations, the METAs group tackle on the properties and functionalities of the metamaterials it develops. The group develops experimental approaches to measure the absorption, reflection and transmission of acoustic and elastic waves for the metastructures, and to qualify the performance of the associated devices.

Metamaterials, which are artificial structures with remarkable and unprecedented properties, allow to deal with new physics, to produce new functionalities, and to propose innovative systems and devices that may lead to scientific and technological breakthrough. To this end, the metamaterials group focuses on the development of applications for aeronautical, automotive, environmental, biomedical, and space fields. The group develops, for instance, metamaterials and metasurfaces for very low-frequency sound absorption, acoustic invisibility, illusion, biomedical imaging, holography, acoustic levitation, etc.

On another hand, the METAs group is developing several fruitful national and international collaborations, especially with universities in the USA (Georgia Institute of Technology), China (Tongji University, SCUT-Guangzhou and Tianjin University in particular) and South Korea (Seoul National University). These collaborations take various forms of exchanges and joint projects: PHC, PICS, etc.