Current Volume 9
Metamaterials and Negative Refraction: From Electromagnetic Theory to Emerging Photonic Devices
Abstract
Metamaterials are artificially engineered electromagnetic structures whose optical response arises primarily from geometry rather than chemical composition. Over the past two decades, these systems have attracted significant attention because they enable electromagnetic behaviour that is rarely observed in natural materials, particularly negative refraction. A medium possessing simultaneously negative permittivity and permeability exhibits a negative refractive index, causing electromagnetic waves to propagate in unconventional ways. Such materials have enabled the realization of superlenses, electromagnetic cloaks, compact antennas, and ultrathin photonic devices. This review discusses the theoretical foundation of negative-index metamaterials, including left-handed electromagnetism, resonant artificial magnetism, and effective medium theory. Important metamaterial architectures such as split-ring resonators, fishnet structures, dielectric metasurfaces, and hyperbolic metamaterials are examined across microwave, terahertz, and optical frequency ranges. The paper also reviews fabrication approaches including electron-beam lithography, focused-ion-beam milling, nanoimprint lithography, and emerging 3D nanoprinting methods. Recent developments involving programmable metasurfaces, graphene-assisted tunability, machine-learning-based inverse design, and topological photonic metamaterials are discussed in the context of next-generation photonic systems. Although substantial progress has been achieved experimentally, optical losses, narrow bandwidth, and fabrication scalability continue to limit largescale technological implementation. The growing contribution of Indian research institutions toward metamaterials and nanophotonics further reflects the expanding global relevance of the field.
Keywords
Metamaterials, Negative Refractive Index, Photonics, Metasurface, Split-Ring Resonator, Superlens, Transformation Optics.
Citations
IRE Journals:
Rushikesh Dilip Bankar, Sachin Anand Tupere "Metamaterials and Negative Refraction: From Electromagnetic Theory to Emerging Photonic Devices" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 11 2026 Page 5222-5228 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I11-1718174
IEEE:
Rushikesh Dilip Bankar, Sachin Anand Tupere
"Metamaterials and Negative Refraction: From Electromagnetic Theory to Emerging Photonic Devices" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(11) https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I11-1718174
About IRE Journals
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