METAMAT

ERIALS

MEEN 3344

CHRISTO

PHER A

COSTA

WHAT ARE METAMATERIALS?

They are an assembly of several individual elements

Engineered structures / split-ring resonators /LC circuits

Primary research of meta-material investigates negative refractive index

Permittivity and Permeability have to be both negative.

the meta-material used has to be smaller than the wavelength

understanding how the speed of light traveling though a refractive index can describe how light or any other radiation propagates though metamaterials.

ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

USES

The greatest potential of meta-materials is the possibility to create a structure with a negative refractive index

Sub wavelength imaging which is produced by having a negative refractive index, an optical property creating a Super lenses

Phased array technology that could render perfect holograms on a 2D display

Cloaking devices, microwave invisibility cloaks

HOW DO METAMATERIALS ACHIEVE INVISIBILITY• light waves can be guided by the metamaterials around the

object and back to its original course

• microwaves wavelengths are measured in centimeters scientists have the technology to create metamaterials small enough to manipulate them, moving waves around an object

LIMITATIONS

• Light wavelengths are measured in nanometers (billionths of a meter), and the metamaterials needed to block light must be even smaller than that

• don't currently have the technology to manufacture materials on the small scale required to manipulate light waves

• cloaking device would have to be arranged to manipulate light on the entire visible spectrum, because different colors exist on different wavelengths

• Cloaking devices would plunge a person on the inside into darkness

• By continuing research and funding for metamaterials, these challenges can soon be overcome

WORK SITED

•  William D. Callister, Jr. David G.Rethwisch. Fundamental of Materials Science and Engineering an Intergrated Approach. third edition. Danvers: John Wiley & sons, 2008.

• Maryland, University of. Material Science and Engineeering: Metamaterial . 2006-2001. A.  

• James Clark School of Engingeering. <http://www.mse.umd.edu/whatismse/metamaterials.html>.

• Overheim, R.Daniel and David L.Wagner. Light And Color. Ed. Edinboro State College. Jhon Wiley & Sons, INC., 1982.

• Pendry, J.B. superlens - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 1 september 2012. 3 september 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/superlens>.

• Rincon, Paul. "Experts test Cloaking technology." Science reporter, BBC News (2006).