Design and Test of Embedded Reconfigurable Mode Converter Based on Spontaneous Deformable Materials

The mode converter, as a passive mode conversion device in transmission lines, is well-investigated and widely implemented in various electromagnetic systems. However, most traditional mode converters can only realize a single conversion mode. Thus, a mode converter achieving multiple controllable output modes is urgently needed. In this paper, a reconfigurable mode converter operating in the microwave range is achieved by embedding a deformable all-dielectric material with quadrilateral shape into a rectangular waveguide based on coupled-mode theory. It can achieve different target modes with controllable output for the same input by exciting the deformable all-dielectric material. The design principle of the mode converter is expounded concretely and simulation is carried out using HFSS software 2022 R2. Experimental results, consisting of the simulation results, demonstrate that the proposed mode converter can achieve various mode conversions with mode purity higher than 95%. This article innovatively applies deformable materials to waveguide mode conversion, expanding the application of deformable memory materials in electromagnetic devices.