Controlling subharmonic orbits by coupling subharmonic units

Slender elements play the role of material bits in multistable and programmable metamaterials. Despite tremendous progress we currently have limited control over the sequential response under cyclic driving. Here we present a general bottom-up strategy to realize sequential metamaterials in which the transient and subharmonic response to cyclical driving can be controlled and designed. We demonstrate simple two-element metamaterials with period two, three and four, and outline how the subharmonic and transient response can be extended in larger systems.