Left-handed-media simulation and transmission of EM waves in subwavelength split-ring-resonator-loaded metallic waveguides

At microwave frequencies, hollow metallic waveguides behave in certain aspects as a "one-dimensional plasma." This feature will be advantageously used for simulating the propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves in left-handed metamaterials provided the hollow waveguide is periodically loaded with split ring resonators. It will be shown that EM transmission in this structure is feasible within a certain frequency band even if the transverse dimensions of the waveguide are much smaller than the associated free-space wavelength. This effect can be qualitatively and quantitatively explained by the left-handed metamaterial theory, thus providing a new experimental validation for such a theory.