Negative refractive index in chiral spiral metamaterials at terahertz frequencies

A three-dimensional chiral metamaterial consisting of arrays of the multi-layered mutually twisted metallic spirals is proposed. We theoretically demonstrate such a chiral spiral structure exhibiting negative refractive index at terahertz frequencies. The chirality with varied refractive index can be obtained by change of configurations of the structure. The presented design offers flexibility for investigation of electromagnetic properties of chiral metamaterials in the terahertz regime and thus leads to a unique route to terahertz device applications.     

手性负折射率材料的最新进展

阐述了手性负折射率现象的产生机制;总结了近几年国内外手性负折射率材料在仿真模拟和实验制备方面的研究进展;分析了手性负折射率材料的旋光性、手性参数、损耗等;介绍了手性负折射率材料在各个领域的应用。分析认为,探索手性负折射率材料的新机制、新方法和新材料,从而在可见光波段实现负折射率是未来手性负折射率材料的重要发展方向之一。     

Guided modes in the chiral negative refractive index fiber

The novel characteristics of guided modes in the chiral negative refractive index fiber are investigated theoretically in this letter.We derive the characteristic equation of guided modes.Based on two types of chiral metamaterial parameters,we present the dispersion curves,energy flux,and power of guided modes.Some abnormal features,such as the existence of surface mode and dispersion curves with different shapes,intersection of dispersion curves of different guided modes,negative energy flux in the achiral cladding,and zero power at some normalized frequencies,are found in the chiral negative refractive index fiber.     

Parabolic Split Ring Resonator (PSRR) based MNZ metamaterial with angular rotation for WiFi/WiMax/Wireless/ISM band applications

The engineering in artificial inclusions of metamaterials has immense potential to explore in the field of electromagnetic wave manipulation that created enormous opportunities in the design of millimetre or sub-millimetres structures. In this research paper, Parabolic Split Ring Resonator (PSRR) based MNZ (Mu-Near-Zero) metamaterial with a wider refractive index is introduced for WiFi/WiMax/Wireless/ISM band applications and printing on Rogers RT-5880 lossy substrate with a copper-based metallic structure at 5.8 GHz within the microwave frequency region. The resonant frequency, negative permittivity, near-zero permeability, and negative refractive index are between 5.5-6.3 GHz. This proposed metamaterial structure is analysed with array structures, different substrate material, different orientations, and split gaps.     

色散负折射特异介质的1维光子晶体缺陷态

在1维光子晶体中引入色散负折射特异介质,分析了其介电常数和磁导率在微波区（1～10 GHz）与频率的关系。分别对以色散负折射介质为缺陷的正折射率介质光子晶体及以正折射率介质为缺陷的正负折射率介质光子晶体进行了数值仿真,得出了均匀平面电磁波在正入射和斜入射时的透射谱。结果表明:在介电常数和磁导率均为负值的不同禁带中,分别出现了单、双缺陷模。利用透射谱的这一特点,可实现单、双通道滤波。     

Optical delay lines using coupled slab waveguides and ring resonator with a negative refractive index core

Total delay time of a structure composed of a slab waveguide coupled with a ring resonator where negative refractive index material is replaced in the core of the structure is investigated in this work. In this paper, a two-port ring resonator (TPRR) which is made of a core with negative refractive index has been used to generate a time delay for a Gaussian-shaped pulse with 1 GHz bandwidth. It is shown that the creation of the ring how causes more n_g of a straight waveguide and results are compared with positive refractive index core TPRR. We have used metamaterial to make an n < 0 media and have used two cascaded metamaterial rings to increase the bandwidth.     

Research technique of metamaterials with the controlled effective negative refractive index and their characteristics

A design of the two-beam hybrid microwave interferometer for measuring refractive indices of metamaterials is described. It is based on the branching of radiation using a waveguide directional coupler. Radiations of the interferometer waveguide arms are summed and the phase disbalance of the interferometer arms is counted on the waveguide measuring line. The frequency dispersion of the negative refractive indices of the metamaterial samples with a variable distance between its constituent plates is experimentally investigated. A possibility of controlling the refractive index of a metamaterial is demonstrated.     

Generation of radiation in tunnel-coupled waveguides with positive and negative refractive indices

The possibility of generating microwave radiation in tunnel-coupled planar waveguides, one of which is made of a metamaterial and is characterized by a negative refractive index in the corresponding frequency range, while the other waveguide is active and exhibits positive refractive index, is demonstrated. The model of a tunable distributed feedback laser, in which the dependence of the refractive index of the metamaterial on the external magnetic field allows controlling the oscillation frequency, is proposed.     

Dual-band negative index metamaterial: double negative at 813 nm and single negative at 772 nm

This work is concerned with the experimental demonstration of a dual-band negative index metamaterial. The sample is double negative (showing both a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity) for linearly polarized light with a wavelength between 799 and 818 nm, and the real part of its refractive index is approximately -1.0 at 813 nm. The ratio of -Re(n)/Im(n) is close to 1.3 at 813 nm. For an orthogonal polarization, the same sample also exhibits a negative refractive index in the visible (at 772 nm). The spectroscopic measurements of the material are in good agreement with the results obtained from a finite-element electromagnetic solver for the actual geometry of the fabricated sample at both polarizations.     

Microwave response of octagon-shaped parallel plates: Low-loss metamaterial

A very low-loss metamaterial formed by a pair of homogeneous octagon-shaped parallel plates separated by a dielectric substrate is presented to achieve simultaneous negative permittivity and permeability in the microwave region. The double-negative behavior with a high figure of merit (FOM=|Re(n)/Im(n)|=80 at 24.7 GHz) leads to reduced losses in this proposed metamaterial. The high quality feature of the structure can make the applications of the negative refractive index metamaterial more efficient and applicable, such as perfect- or super-lenses at microwave frequencies since FOM≈64.5, where the real part of the refractive index ≈?1 at 25.3 GHz.     

基于折线形手征负折射介质结构的设计与仿真

分别设计和仿真了一种新型的工作在微波段和光波段的折线形手征介质结构.利用仿真得到的透射系数和反射系数反演计算了该结构的旋光角、椭偏度、相对介电常数、相对磁导率、手征参数以及折射率等参数.结果表明该结构在这两种波段下都显示出极大的旋光角和椭偏度,且因具有大的手征参数,而不再需要介电常数和磁导率同时为负就可实现左旋圆极化波(LCP)和右旋圆极化波(RCP)的负折射率. 关键词： 手征介质 旋光角 椭偏度 负折射率     

Parametrically shielding electromagnetic fields by nonlinear metamaterials

An analytical theory is developed for parametric interactions in metamaterial multilayer structures with simultaneous nonlinear electronic and magnetic responses and with a near-zero refractive index. We demonstrate theoretically that electromagnetic fields of certain frequencies can be parametrically shielded by a nonlinear left-handed material slab, where the permittivity and permeability are both negative. The skin depth is tunable, and even in the absence of material absorption, can be much less than the wavelength of the electromagnetic field being shielded. This exotic behavior is a consequence of the intricate nonlinear response in the left-handed materials and vanishing optical refractive index at the pump frequency.     

Microwave generator based on tunnel-coupled semiconductor-metamaterial structure

We propose a model of a tunable laser based on a tunnel-coupled waveguide semiconductormetamaterial structure. The waveguide semiconductor channel has a positive refractive index and a high Kerr nonlinearity coefficient. In the frequency range under investigation, the channel formed by the magnetoactive metamaterial is characterized by a negative refractive index. Computer simulation is used for investigating the peculiarities of generation of microwave radiation under pumping due to modulated instability in the semiconductor channel and a distributed feedback. The generation frequency is controlled using the dependence of the refractive index of the metamaterial on the external magnetic field.     

An improved fishnet three-dimensional metamaterial with multiband left-handed characteristics at terahertz frequencies

We present the design of a multiband left-handed three-dimensional (3D) metamaterial based on improved fishnet structure at terahertz frequencies. The design realizes a three-dimensional material by mechanical stacking of multiple layers. The electromagnetic properties of the metamaterial have been investigated by numerical simulation. The results show that simultaneously negative values of permittivity, permeability and refractive index are found around the frequencies of 0.73, 0.85 and 1.12 THz for the electromagnetic wave normal incidence. The proposed metamaterial with independent polarization and compact effect offers a way to develop THz 3D materials and devices suitable for multifrequencies.     

磁电超材料折射率特性分析

基于麦克斯韦旋度方程, 将磁电超材料板中的电元件和磁元件分别等效为面电流和面磁流, 通过计算这些周期性面电流和面磁流在某个磁电超材料板上产生的总电场和总磁场, 获得了关于面磁流密度和面电流密度的两个方程, 进而推导出了周期性磁电超材料折射率与磁元件的磁导率、 电元件的介电常数和空间色散项之间关系的解析公式. 与传统的折射率计算公式不同, 该解析公式充分考虑到了空间色散以及磁电超材料的电元件和磁元件的相互作用. 折射率理论曲线和基于仿真实验数据的提取值曲线能很好地符合, 这说明文中推导的折射率公式能够正确地描述磁电超材料的负折射特性. 本文的结果将为分析电磁元件之间的相互作用以及设计负折射率符合一定要求的磁电超材料提供重要的理论参考. 关键词： 磁电超材料 周期性结构 负折射率     

工字形太赫兹超材料吸波体的传感特性研究

利用超材料吸波体对材料参数的电磁响应, 可将其应用于传感. 本文设计了一种工字形单元结构的超材料吸波体, 基于频域算法对其在太赫兹频段的传感特性进行数值模拟, 研究了待测样品折射率、厚度及电介质隔层厚度对超材料吸波体传感器的频率灵敏度、振幅灵敏度及品质因数的影响. 研究结果表明:当待测样品厚度为40 μm时, 折射率频率灵敏度可达到153.17 GHz/RIU, 折射率振幅灵敏度可达到41.37%/RIU; 待测样品折射率一定时, 厚度频率灵敏度随其厚度的增大而线性减小; 随着待测样品厚度的增加, RFOM呈增大趋势, 但增大幅度在逐渐减小; TFOM随待测样品厚度的增加而减小.     

Spontaneous radiation of a chiral molecule located near a half-space of a bi-isotropic material

Analytical expressions for the rate of spontaneous emission from a chiral (optically active) molecule located near a half-space occupied by a chiral (bi-isotropic) material have been obtained and analyzed in detail. It is established that the rates of spontaneous emission from the “right” and “left” enantiomers of molecules occurring near the chiral medium may significantly differ in cases of chiral materials with (i) both negative dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability (DNG metamaterial) and (ii) negative permeability and positive permittivity (MNG metamaterial). Based on this phenomenon, DMG and MNG metamaterials can be used to create devices capable of separating right and left enantiomers in racemic mixtures.     

A novel structure for broadband left-handed metamaterial

A low absorptivity broadband negative refractive index metamaterial with multi-gap split-ring and metallic cross (MSMC) structure is proposed and investigated numerically and experimentally in the microwave frequency range. From the numerical and experimental results, the effective media parameters were retrieved, which clearly show that there exists a very wide frequency band where the permittivity and permeability are negative. The influence of the structure parameters on the magnetic response and the cut-off frequency of the negative permittivity are studied in detail. This metamaterial would have potential application in designing broadband microwave devices.     

A novel structure for a broadband left-handed metamaterial

A low absorptivity broadband negative refractive index metamaterial with a multi-gap split-ring and metallic cross (MSMC) structure is proposed and investigated numerically and experimentally in the microwave frequency range. The effective media parameters were retrieved from the numerical and experimental results, which clearly show that there exists a very wide frequency band where the permittivity and permeability are negative. The influence of the structure parameters on the magnetic response and the cut-off frequency of the negative permittivity are studied in detail. This metamaterial would have potential application in designing broadband microwave devices.     

Three-dimensional isotropic metamaterial consisting of domain-structure

Whether an artificially designed negative-index structure could be regarded as a homogeneous medium or not rests with the ratio of its structural unit (man-made atom) over the operation wavelength. However, this definition is ambiguous, and usually the ratio is too large to rigorously meet the effective medium theory. In this paper a three-dimensional (3D) isotropic structure is presented which is obtained from a two-dimensional (2D) isotropic structure rotating on its axis for a circle, and the material is silver. Numerical studies confirm that both the 2D and 3D structures can realize a negative refractive index at microwave wavelengths. Observing the monitored surface current distributions and analogizing the molecular current and the magnetic domain, we suggest a new concept of domain-structure to explain the interior structure of this metamaterial, and finally conclude that the 3D structure is a kind of domain-structured and isotropic metamaterial.