Acoustic Metal

Abstract

Metal reflects electromagnetic waves because of the large conductivity that is responsible for dissipation. During which the waves undergo a 180$^\circ$ phase change that is independent of the frequency. There is no counterpart material for acoustic waves. Here we show that by using an array of acoustic resonators with a designed high-density dissipative component, an "acoustic metal" can be realised that strongly couples with sound over a wide frequency range not otherwise attainable by conventional means. In particular, we show the acoustic Faraday cage effect that when used as a ring covering an air duct, 99% of the noise can be blocked without impeding the airflow. We further delineate the underlying volume requirement for an acoustic metal based on the constraint of the causality principle. Our findings complement the missing properties of acoustic materials and pave the way to the strong wave-material couplings that are critical for the applications as high-performance audio devices.