In this paper, we propose an approach to realize substrate integrated waveguide (SIW)-based leaky-wave antennas (LWAs) supporting continuous beam scanning from backward to forward above the cutoff frequency. First, through phase delay analysis, it was found that SIWs with straight transverse slots support backward and forward radiation of the -1-order mode with an open-stopband (OSB) in between. Subsequently, by introducing additional longitudinal slots as parallel components, the OSB can be suppressed, leading to continuous beam scanning at least from -40° through broadside to 35°. The proposed method only requires a planar structure and obtains less dispersive beam scanning compared with a composite right/left-handed (CRLH) LWA. Both simulations and measurements verify the intended beam scanning operation while verifying the underlying theory.

A polarization-independent metamaterial analog of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) at microwave frequencies for normal incidence and linearly polarized waves is experimentally and numerically demonstrated. The metamaterial consists of coupled “bright” split-ring resonators (SRRs) and “dark” spiral resonators (SRs) with virtually equal resonance frequencies. Normally incident plane waves with linear polarization strongly couple to the SRR, but are weakly interacting with the SR, regardless of the polarization state. A sharp transmission peak (i.e., the transparency window) with narrow spectral width and slow wave property is observed for the metamaterial at the resonant frequency of both, the bright SRR and the dark SR. The influence of the coupling strength between the SRR and SR on the frequency, width, magnitude, and quality factor of the metamaterial's transparency window is theoretically predicted by a two-particle model, and numerically validated using full-wave electromagnetic simulation. In addition, it is numerically demonstrated that the EIT-like metamaterial can be employed as a refractive-index-based sensor with a sensitivity of 77.25 mm/RIU, which means that the resonance wavelength of the sensor shifts 77.25 mm per unit change of refractive index of the surrounding medium.

In this paper, an efficient method is proposed to eliminate frequency splitting in nonradiative wireless power transfer via magnetic resonance coupling. In this method, two nonidentical resonant coils (NIRCs) are used as wireless power transmitter and receiver, respectively. According to the elliptic integral term in the analytical expression, the pole of the mutual inductance function with respect to transfer distance can be eliminated by using the two NIRCs, and hence overcoupling between transmitter and receiver with close transfer distance is avoided. Therefore, frequency splitting caused by overcoupling can be suppressed and stable output power can be achieved. The NIRCs are analytically calculated, numerically simulated and finally, fabricated and tested to verify the theory. All the calculated and experimental results show that frequency splitting is completely eliminated and uniform voltage across the load is achieved. Furthermore, lateral misalignment between the NIRCs barely introduces frequency splitting, and the suppression level of frequency splitting can also be controlled freely.

In this paper, a multi-band slow light metamaterial is presented and investigated. The metamaterial unit cell is composed of three cut wires of different sizes and parallel to each other. Two transparency windows induced by two-two overlaps of absorption bands of three cut wires are observed. The multi-band transmission characteristics and the slow light properties of metamaterial are verified by numerical simulation, which is in a good agreement with theoretical predictions. The impacts of structure parameters on transparency windows are also investigated. Simulation results show the spectral properties can be tuned by adjusting structure parameters of metamaterial. The equivalent circuit model and the synthesis method of the multi-band slow light metamaterial are presented. It is seen from simulation results that the synthesis method accurately predicts the center frequency of the multi-band metamaterial, which opens a door to a quick and accurate construction for multi-band slow light metamaterial.

Dozens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas have been used for promotion of "blood production" for centuries, and we are interested in developing novel thrombopoietic medicines from these TCMs. Our previous studies have demonstrated the hematopoietic effects of DangGui BuXue Tong (DBT), a formula composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Astragali in animal and cellular models. As a step further to identify and characterize the active chemical components of DBT, we tested the hematopoietic and particularly, thrombopoietic effects of polysaccharide-enriched fractions from the root of Radix Angelicae Sinensis (APS) in this study.

This paper presents a planar microwave sensor for the sensitive and accurate characterization of complex permittivity of solid materials. To realize the proposed sensor, the combination of a parallel interdigital capacitor and a dual wide gap resonator was etched on the ground plane and coupled with a transmission line in the top plane of a printed circuit board. The main advantage of the proposed sensor configuration lies in the generation of a high-intensity coupled resonating electric field suitable for the sensitive measurement of complex permittivity of solid materials. The high-intensity electric field enhances the coupling and field interaction, and thereby produces a high-accuracy permittivity characterization of a solid material exposed to the maximum field of the proposed sensor. Our developed microwave permittivity sensor, which characterized the complex permittivity of several materials by exploiting the measured shifts in resonance frequencies, exhibited a high sensitivity (up to 37% shift in resonance frequency for 20% change in permittivity) at least 1.5 times higher than previously reported microwave permittivity sensors. In addition, the proposed sensor exhibited 99.9% and 99.7% sensing accuracies for real and imaginary parts of permittivity, respectively, and the measurement results revealed an excellent (0.06758) and high sensitivity (67.58 MHz per unit change in real permittivity).