Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A method to determine effective metamaterial properties based on stratified metafilms

  • Focus point issue on Laser dynamics and nonlinear photonics
  • Published:
The European Physical Journal D Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Metamaterials’ properties may be quantified through the assignment of bulk material parameters such as magnetic permeability and electric permittivity. These assignments rely on the assumption that metamaterials are effective media, in this context meaning that their electromagnetic properties are independent of the sample size. This assumption is not always valid, particularly for metafilms, the surface equivalents of metamaterials. However, metamaterials comprised of numerous metafilm and dielectric layers can be uniquely characterized in the effective medium approximation when all aspects of the metamaterial are properly integrated. We present a simple model based on stratified systems to illustrate this fact. The model further assists in the interpretation of novel metamaterial behaviors and offers a rapid and accurate method to determine the functionality of bulk metamaterial-based devices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • D. Schurig et al., Science 314, 977 (2006)

  • N. Landy et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 207402 (2008)

  • H.-T. Chen et al., Nature 444, 597 (2006)

  • H.-T. Chen et al., Nature Photon. 2, 295 (2008)

  • C. Holloway et al., IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. 51, 2641 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • X.G. Peralta et al., Opt. Express 2, 773 (2009)

  • J.F. O’Hara et al., Act. Passive Electron. Compon. 2007, 49691 (2007)

  • S.M. Rytov, Sov. Phys. JETP 2, 446 (1956)

  • M. Born, E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 7th edn. (Cambridge University Press, 1999), Sect. 1.6

  • J.R. Wait, Electromagnetic waves in stratified media (Pergamon Press, New York, 1962)

  • J.F. O’Hara et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 251119 (2006)

  • C. Holloway et al., Metamaterials 3, 100 (2009)

  • This still unpublished work is an anti-reflection coating based on two closely-spaced metafilm layers. Originally designed to operate via inter-layer coupling this structure is well-described by the stratified metafilm model.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    J. O’Hara, A. K. Azad & A. J. Taylor

Authors
  1. J. O’Hara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. K. Azad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. J. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. O’Hara.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O’Hara, J., Azad, A.K. & Taylor, A.J. A method to determine effective metamaterial properties based on stratified metafilms. Eur. Phys. J. D 58, 243–247 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2010-00120-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2010-00120-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation