Periodic Materials and Printed Structures for Miniature Antennas

The concept of periodic materials, based on solid state physics theory, is applied to earthquake engineering. The periodic material is a material which possesses distinct characteristics that do not allow waves with certain frequencies to be transmitted through; therefore, this material can be used in structural foundations to block unwanted seismic waves with certain frequencies. The frequency band of periodic material that can filter out waves is called the band gap, and the structural foundation made of periodic material is referred to as the periodic foundation. In designing a periodic foundation, the first step is to match band gaps of the periodic foundation with the natural frequencies of the superstructure. This is an iterative process. Starting with a design of the periodic foundation, the band gaps are identified by performing finite element analyses using ABAQUS. This design process is repeated until the band gaps match natural frequencies of the superstructure, and the field tests of a scaled specimen are conducted to validate the design. This is an on-going research project. Presented in this paper are the preliminary results, which show that the three dimensional periodic foundation is a promising and effective way to mitigate structural damage caused by earthquake excitations.

Download Full-text

Quasi-periodic crystals – a paradigm shift in crystallography

Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations and Advances ◽

10.1107/s2053273314099975 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 70 (a1) ◽

pp. C2-C2

Author(s):

Dan Shechtman

Keyword(s):

Modern Science ◽

Icosahedral Phase ◽

Icosahedral Symmetry ◽

Atomic Order ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Theoretical Understanding ◽

Vast Number ◽

X Ray ◽

Definition Of ◽

Periodic Materials

Crystallography has been one of the mature sciences. Over the years, the modern science of crystallography that started by experimenting with x-ray diffraction from crystals in 1912, has developed a major paradigm – that all crystals are ordered and periodic. Indeed, this was the basis for the definition of "crystal" in textbooks of crystallography and x-ray diffraction. Based upon a vast number of experimental data, constantly improving research tools, and deepening theoretical understanding of the structure of crystalline materials no revolution was anticipated in our understanding the atomic order of solids. However, such revolution did happen with the discovery of the Icosahedral phase, the first quasi-periodic crystal (QC) in 1982, and its announcement in 1984 [1, 2]. QCs are ordered materials, but their atomic order is quasiperiodic rather than periodic, enabling formation of crystal symmetries, such as icosahedral symmetry, which cannot exist in periodic materials. The discovery created deep cracks in this paradigm, but the acceptance by the crystallographers' community of the new class of ordered crystals did not happen in one day. In fact it took almost a decade for QC order to be accepted by most crystallographers. The official stamp of approval came in a form of a new definition of "Crystal" by the International Union of Crystallographers. The paradigm that all crystals are periodic has thus been changed. It is clear now that although most crystals are ordered and periodic, a good number of them are ordered and quasi-periodic. While believers and nonbelievers were debating, a large volume of experimental and theoretical studies was published, a result of a relentless effort of many groups around the world. Quasi-periodic materials have developed into an exciting interdisciplinary science. This talk will outline the discovery of QCs and describe the important role of electron microscopy as an enabling discovery tool.

Download Full-text