Metamaterials: Its emergence and applications

Kirti Inamdar, ECED, SVNIT, Surat

Dr. Y.P.Kosta, Professor, ECED, CIT, Changa

During the past two decades moderate progress has been achieved in the
development of terahertz science and technology. But as compared to microwave and optical
electronics technologies, development in THz technology is lagging far behind. This is mainly
due to deficiency of materials having suitable response in this frequency range. A recently
developed class of artificially structured composite materials, known as metamaterials, has
shown a positive sign for successful operation of functional devices for THz applications.
Metamaterials are ordered composites that exhibit exceptional properties not readily observed in
nature. These properties arise from qualitatively new response functions that are not observed in
the constituent materials and result from the inclusion of artificially fabricated, extrinsic, low
dimensional inhomogeneities.
Besides THz applications, they have also opened new dimensions in the
field of optics. They can offer lenses that can resolve details finer than the wavelength of light.
Metamaterials also known as left handed materials also have application in the area of
automotives. This paper introduces this new class of materials along with its main properties,
concepts and demonstrated applications.

Keywords: Metamaterials, Left-handed materials (LH), Microwave, Optics, Negative index