Other new directions being pursued seek to exploit these devices in arrays to create surfaces comprised of artificially-created materials (metamaterials) that can be used to scatter microwave radiation using optical and electrical signals to control the energy scattered from or captured by the surface. It is envisioned that this work can impact defense (e.g. radar cross section), commercial (e.g. automobile collision avoidance radar), and biomedical (e.g. irradiation of tissue) applications.