Negative Refractive Index of Meta-materials at Optical Frequencies

ABSTRACTScaling the performance of metamaterials to obtain negative refractive index at optical frequencies has been of great interest. One of the great barriers to the scaling is that real currents cannot be driven at very high frequencies and one is more dependent on displacement currents to generate negative magnetic permeability. Moreover to keep the dimensions of the metamaterials physically accessible, the structural lengthscales of the metamaterials begin approach the wavelength of the radiation in free space and homogenisation is often questionable. Here we will show that metamaterials such as Split ring resonators in these high frequency limits exhibit complex behaviour. Magnetic activity and Negative refractive index behaviour can, indeed, be obtained at optical frequencies but will need to be interpreted very carefully. The plasmonic nature of the metallic system and excitation needs to be considered in detail.