Microwave frequency conversion using a spoof surface plasmon polariton waveguide integrated with split-ring resonators and micro-electromechanical resonator arrays

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate frequency conversion based on a spoof-surface plasmon-polariton waveguide and microbridge resonator arrays integrated into the gap of a split-ring resonator array capacitively coupled to the waveguide. Frequency conversion was achieved by mixing the microwave carrier frequency with a modulation frequency of 39.7 MHz. Owing to its compact size and lightweight structure, the microbridge exhibits high-speed operation with a mechanical resonant frequency of 1.66 MHz in air. The mechanical resonant frequency of the microbridge was determined from the sidebands. These findings show how microwave frequency conversion in integrated microwave circuits can enable time-varying metamaterial applications.