Preface
This book is dedicated to an emerging regime of zero refractive index photonics,
which involves metamaterials that exhibit effectively zero refractive index. Metamaterials are artificial structures whose optical properties can be tailored at will.
With metamaterials, intriguing and spellbinding phenomena like negative refraction
and electromagnetic cloaking could be realized, which otherwise seem unnatural or
straight out of science fiction.
The metamaterial as perceived, analyzed, and presented in this book are governed
by the principles of electrodynamics. Chapter 1 of the book presents a few basic
concepts of electromagnetic theory which are prerequisite for diving into the realm
of metamaterials, especially the zero refractive index variants. These include the
evolution of electrodynamics, the physical interpretation of Maxwell’s equations, the
origin of refractive index and its manipulation using metamaterials, the reciprocal
lattice and Brillouin zones, and a detailed account of the photonic crystals and their
role as zero-index metamaterials. After getting basic insight into the needed concepts
of electromagnetic theory, it becomes easy for the reader to grasp an advanced concept
of zero-index metamaterial which is immediately introduced in Chap. 2 and continues
in full rigor through out the book. Chapter 2 lays down the fundamental principle of
zero refractive index property and the methods by which it can be achieved and verified. It discusses the popular zero-index metamaterials with their working principle
and their influence on established phenomena like Snell’s law and standing wave
in a very abnormal yet absolutely physical manner. Afterward, Chap. 3 contains
the most famous and impressive application of zero-index metamaterials, including
electromagnetic tunneling, electromagnetic cloaking, wavefront engineering, and
directive radiation. Zero-index metamaterials are also seen as means of boosting
nonlinear properties and are believed to have strong prospects for being useful
in nonlinear optics. Chapter 4 deals with these possibilities and presents various
nonlinear phenomena which zero-index metamaterials have eased or enhanced, or
have to potential to enhance. Finally, Chap. 5 discusses the recent advancements
happened in this arena and the future prospects this newly emerging field holds,
respectively.
We have decided to write this book for the benefit of freshmen researchers, who are
interested in this appealing and largely unexplored field but find it difficult to acquire
v
This book is dedicated to an emerging regime of zero refractive index photonics,
which involves metamaterials that exhibit effectively zero refractive index. Metamaterials are artificial structures whose optical properties can be tailored at will.
With metamaterials, intriguing and spellbinding phenomena like negative refraction
and electromagnetic cloaking could be realized, which otherwise seem unnatural or
straight out of science fiction.
The metamaterial as perceived, analyzed, and presented in this book are governed
by the principles of electrodynamics. Chapter 1 of the book presents a few basic
concepts of electromagnetic theory which are prerequisite for diving into the realm
of metamaterials, especially the zero refractive index variants. These include the
evolution of electrodynamics, the physical interpretation of Maxwell’s equations, the
origin of refractive index and its manipulation using metamaterials, the reciprocal
lattice and Brillouin zones, and a detailed account of the photonic crystals and their
role as zero-index metamaterials. After getting basic insight into the needed concepts
of electromagnetic theory, it becomes easy for the reader to grasp an advanced concept
of zero-index metamaterial which is immediately introduced in Chap. 2 and continues
in full rigor through out the book. Chapter 2 lays down the fundamental principle of
zero refractive index property and the methods by which it can be achieved and verified. It discusses the popular zero-index metamaterials with their working principle
and their influence on established phenomena like Snell’s law and standing wave
in a very abnormal yet absolutely physical manner. Afterward, Chap. 3 contains
the most famous and impressive application of zero-index metamaterials, including
electromagnetic tunneling, electromagnetic cloaking, wavefront engineering, and
directive radiation. Zero-index metamaterials are also seen as means of boosting
nonlinear properties and are believed to have strong prospects for being useful
in nonlinear optics. Chapter 4 deals with these possibilities and presents various
nonlinear phenomena which zero-index metamaterials have eased or enhanced, or
have to potential to enhance. Finally, Chap. 5 discusses the recent advancements
happened in this arena and the future prospects this newly emerging field holds,
respectively.
We have decided to write this book for the benefit of freshmen researchers, who are
interested in this appealing and largely unexplored field but find it difficult to acquire
v