A Roadmap for Metamaterials

Nikolay I. Zheludev

Metamaterials have rapidly advanced over the past few years—from being a paradigm for engineering unique electromagnetic properties to forming a material base for functional devices with tuneable, switchable and nonlinear capabilities. In the future, they will allow for dynamic quantum-effect-enabled systems.

 

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The quick and widespread proliferation of new nanofabrication techniques has opened many opportunities for researchers to create artificial media known as metamaterials, which are designed to control and interact with electromagnetic waves. Research in this field is developing at an incredible pace. In natural solids, optical response is determined by the quantum energy-level structure of the constituent atoms or molecules. By contrast, the electromagnetic properties of metamaterials are derived from the resonant characteristics of the subwavelength plasmonic resonators from which they are constructed.

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