LCN researchers at King’s are designing materials that steer light, sound and radio waves in ways ordinary materials can’t. A new infographic from the London Centre for Nanotechnology at King’s maps metamaterial research across King’s, and where it could lead next.
The UK is a global leader in metamaterials research, underpinned by a uniquely collaborative and interdisciplinary community. A new national roadmap identifies the actions needed to help the UK capitalise on this world-leading research base and become a global hub for metamaterials innovation and development. Published today, the roadmap sets out priorities for accelerating the translation of academic breakthroughs into industrial applications.
Our physicists and engineers work in close collaboration with colleagues across the LCN, the UK and globally to develop and validate new concepts in this rapidly advancing field, translating research excellence into practical solutions for society.
Imagine a surface that redirects a weak mobile signal to exactly where it’s needed. Or a sensor sensitive enough to pick up the earliest signs of disease. That’s the promise of metamaterials. These materials are built from tiny, carefully designed structures, so they can control light, sound and electromagnetic waves in ways ordinary materials can’t. Emerging metamaterial technologies are set to drive innovation across numerous fields, with applications ranging from low energy information processing to next-generation displays and improved solar energy conversion among others.
Metamaterials are moving out of the lab and into the market. According to the UK Government Office for Science, the global metamaterials market is expected to exceed $10 billion by 2030 whilst the UK metamaterials commercialisation: strategic roadmap highlights a significant opportunity for the country to become a world leader in the field, identifying metamaterials as a transformative platform technology with applications across communications, sensing, healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing and defence.
We are helping to shape that future by developing new metamaterial concepts, building industry partnerships and translating fundamental research into technologies that address real-world challenges.
To learn more about the research you can contact [email protected]
