About this Research Topic
The quasi-particle linked to mechanical vibration, namely the phonon, is responsible for everyday sound
and heat transmission in air, water and other media. Hence, investigating and controlling the phononic
properties of materials provides new opportunities and powerful tools to tailor acoustic wave propagation and
heat transport. During the past few decades, there has been considerable interest in studying theoretically and
experimentally the acoustic, elastodynamic and thermal properties of artificial media made of small inclusions.
These metamaterials are engineered to exhibit exotic properties beyond naturally occurring materials, including
negative bulk-modulus, zero/negative density and infinite thermal conductivity. Many tantalizing concepts and
counterintuitive effects have been realized with these well-designed artificial structures, including diodes,
cloaking, superlens, negative refraction, unidirectional transmission, and topological transport.
Phononic and acoustic metamaterials have shown a great potential in improving our daily lives, such as isolating
and absorbing environmental noise, constructing thermally insulated buildings, creating one-way secret
communications, and so on. Meanwhile, theoreticians in phononics and acoustics have explored different paths.
For instance, how broken symmetries, exceptional points and topological boundaries tend to change the laws of
sound and heat propagation. In this research topic, we hope to gather the newest cutting-edge designs
and theories in the phononic and acoustic metamaterials domain, for waves ranging from infrasound,
sound, ultrasound, hypersound but also heat transport, and mechanical metamaterials.
We welcome reviews and original research articles that address, but are not limited to, the
following themes:
• Acoustic/elastic meta-surfaces, meta-gratings and related applications
• Theory, modeling, and experiments of sound absorption and elastic isolation
• Symmetry, non-Hermitian effects, and topological physics in phononics and acoustics
• Sub-diffraction limit ultrasonic imaging and particle manipulations
• Non-linear, seismic and bio-inspired metamaterials
• Deep learning approaches for studying inverse acoustic and phononic problems
• Thermal metamaterials, meta-surfaces, and meta-devices
• Nanophononic metamaterials and nanophononic crystals
• Phononic heat transfer and its manipulation
and heat transmission in air, water and other media. Hence, investigating and controlling the phononic
properties of materials provides new opportunities and powerful tools to tailor acoustic wave propagation and
heat transport. During the past few decades, there has been considerable interest in studying theoretically and
experimentally the acoustic, elastodynamic and thermal properties of artificial media made of small inclusions.
These metamaterials are engineered to exhibit exotic properties beyond naturally occurring materials, including
negative bulk-modulus, zero/negative density and infinite thermal conductivity. Many tantalizing concepts and
counterintuitive effects have been realized with these well-designed artificial structures, including diodes,
cloaking, superlens, negative refraction, unidirectional transmission, and topological transport.
Phononic and acoustic metamaterials have shown a great potential in improving our daily lives, such as isolating
and absorbing environmental noise, constructing thermally insulated buildings, creating one-way secret
communications, and so on. Meanwhile, theoreticians in phononics and acoustics have explored different paths.
For instance, how broken symmetries, exceptional points and topological boundaries tend to change the laws of
sound and heat propagation. In this research topic, we hope to gather the newest cutting-edge designs
and theories in the phononic and acoustic metamaterials domain, for waves ranging from infrasound,
sound, ultrasound, hypersound but also heat transport, and mechanical metamaterials.
We welcome reviews and original research articles that address, but are not limited to, the
following themes:
• Acoustic/elastic meta-surfaces, meta-gratings and related applications
• Theory, modeling, and experiments of sound absorption and elastic isolation
• Symmetry, non-Hermitian effects, and topological physics in phononics and acoustics
• Sub-diffraction limit ultrasonic imaging and particle manipulations
• Non-linear, seismic and bio-inspired metamaterials
• Deep learning approaches for studying inverse acoustic and phononic problems
• Thermal metamaterials, meta-surfaces, and meta-devices
• Nanophononic metamaterials and nanophononic crystals
• Phononic heat transfer and its manipulation
Keywords: Acoustic metamaterials, phononic crystals, thermal metamaterials, wave control, elastic vibrations, topological insulators, heat transfer, bandgap
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
