A deceptively thin book, loaded with complex mathematics and packed with black-and-white illustrations, this is not an easy read. But it is an excellent introduction to an exciting and rapidly changing field.
Unlike isotropic materials, in which the electrical and magnetic properties are simple scalars, the 36 tensor components of metamaterials can be designed to induce desired anisotropic properties that result in a particular electromagnetic field response. In documenting this quest, the book plunges through pages of derivations to explore properties, simulations, synthesis and applications of purposefully designed subwavelength-thick electromagnetic surfaces. These metasurfaces are created using combinations of conductors and dielectrics in arrangements not found in nature, and they can exhibit novel properties likewise unavailable in nature.
The book includes an index and a consolidated list of references, some as recent as 2020. Oddly, the text in the introduction suffered some unintended typographical transformations—for example, one that removed most of the letter groups “fi.” That is surprising at first, then just mildly annoying (e.g., “first” becomes “rst” and “field” becomes “eld”).
Aside from this small oversight, the book is clearly useful as a reference for professionals and possibly as a graduate textbook as well, if the authors offer problem sets as a supplement.
Review by Bogdan Hoanca, University of Alaska Anchorage, USA.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or its publisher, Optica (formerly OSA).