In this paper, a new approach for the development of planar metamaterial structures is developed. For this purpose, split-ring resonators (SRRs) and complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) coupled to planar transmission lines are investigated. The electromagnetic behavior of these elements, as well as their coupling to the host transmission line, are studied, and analytical equivalent-circuit models are proposed for the isolated and coupled SRRs/CSRRs. From these models, the stopband/passband characteristics of the analyzed SRR/CSRR loaded transmission lines are derived. It is shown that, in the long wavelength limit, these stopbands/passbands can be interpreted as due to the presence of negative/positive values for the effective /spl epsiv/ and /spl mu/ of the line. The proposed analysis is of interest in the design of compact microwave devices based on the metamaterial concept.

In this paper, a new methodology for the design of compact planar filters in microstrip technology is proposed. This is based on cascading filter stages consisting of the combination of complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs), recently proposed by the authors, series capacitive gaps, and grounded stubs. By this means, we achieve the necessary flexibility to simultaneously obtain quite symmetric frequency responses, controllable bandwidths, and compact dimensions. Two prototype device bandpass filters are provided to illustrate the potentiality of the proposed approach. In the first prototype, the structure is periodic (i.e., composed of identical cells) and behaves as a left-handed transmission line with controllable bandwidth. In the second prototype device, periodicity is sacrificed with an eye toward the synthesis of a standard (Chebyshev) approximation. The measured frequency responses point out low insertion losses in the passband, as well as high-frequency selectivity with small dimensions. As compared to conventional parallel coupled line filters, reduction of device length by a factor of 2.4 is demonstrated. This is the first time that planar filters with controllable bandwidth based on CSRRs are achieved. These structures can be of interest in those applications where miniaturization and compatibility with planar circuit technology are key issues

This review paper summarizes various approaches developed in the literature for antenna sensors with an emphasis on flexible solutions. The survey helps to recognize the limitations and advantages of this technology. Furthermore, it offers an overview of the main points for the development and design of flexible antenna sensors from the selection of the materials to the framing of the antenna including the different scenario applications. With regard to wearable antenna sensors deployment, a review of the textile materials that have been employed is also presented. Several examples related to human body applications of flexible antenna sensors such as the detection of NaCl and sugar solutions, blood and bodily variables such as temperature, strain, and finger postures are also presented. Future investigation directions and research challenges are proposed.

The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potentiality of sub-wavelength resonators, namely, split-ring resonators, complementary split-ring resonators, and related structures to the suppression of undesired spurious bands in microwave filters, a key aspect to improve their rejection bandwidths. The main relevant characteristics of the cited resonators are their dimensions (which can be much smaller than signal wavelength at resonance) and their high-Q factor. This allows us to design stopband structures with significant rejection levels, few stages, and small dimensions, which can be integrated within the filter active region. By this means, no extra area is added to the device, while the passband of interest is virtually unaltered. A wide variety of bandpass filters, implemented in both coplanar-waveguide and microstrip technologies, have been designed and fabricated by the authors. The characterization of these devices points out the efficiency of the proposed approach to improve filter responses with harmonic rejection levels near 40 dB in some cases. It is also important to highlight that the conventional design methodology for the filters holds. For certain configurations, the presence of the resonators slightly lowers the phase velocity at the frequencies of interest with the added advantage of some level of reduction in device dimensions.

In this letter, spurious passband suppression in microstrip coupled line band pass filters by means of split ring resonators (SRRs) is demonstrated for the first time. By etching SRRs in the upper substrate side, in close proximity to conductor strip, strong magnetic coupling between line and rings arises at the resonant frequency of SRRs. This inhibits signal propagation in the vicinity of that frequency, allowing the rejection of undesired passbands by properly tuning SRRs. To test this novel technique, we have designed and fabricated two different SSRs-based filters. In one case, the rings have been designed to suppress only the first spurious band, and SRRs have been etched at both sides of the 50-/spl Omega/ access lines. For the other prototype, SRRs have been etched on the active device region (i.e., surrounding the parallel coupled lines) and have been tuned to eliminate the first and second undesired bands. The measured frequency responses for these devices confirm the efficiency of this technique to suppress frequency parasitics, with rejection levels near 40 dBs, leaving the passband unaltered. Since SRRs are small particles (with sub-wavelength dimensions at the resonant frequency), this approach does not add extra area to the final layouts. Moreover, the conventional design methodology of the filters holds.

In this paper, it is demonstrated that varactor-loaded split-ring resonators (VLSRRs) coupled to microstrip lines can lead to metamaterial transmission lines with tuning capability. Both negative permeability (mu<0) and double (or left-handed) negative media have been designed and fabricated with tuning ranges as wide as 30%. The negative effective permeability is provided by the VLSRRs in a narrow band above their resonant frequency, which can be bias controlled by virtue of the presence of diode varactors. To achieve a negative effective permittivity in the left-handed structure, metallic vias emulating shunt inductances are periodically placed between the conductor strip and the ground plane. The lumped-element equivalent-circuit models of the designed structures have been derived. It has been found that these models provide a good qualitative description of device performance. Since the VLSRR microstrip line and the line loaded with both VLSRRs and vias exhibit stopband and bandpass behavior, respectively, the ideas presented in this study can be applied to the design of narrowband tunable frequency-selective structures with compact dimensions. This is the first time that a tunable left-handed transmission line, based on SRRs, is proposed