Condensed Matter and Biological Physics Seminars

Metamaterials, i.e. artificial engineered structures with properties not available in nature, are expected to open a gateway to unprecedented electromagnetic properties and functionality unattainable from naturally occurring materials. Negative-refractive index metamaterials create entirely new prospects for guiding light on the nanoscale, some of which may have revolutionary impact on present-day optical technologies. We review this new emerging field of metamaterials and recent progress in demonstrating a negative refractive index in the optical range, where applications can be particularly important.