Glossary
Electromagnetical and Optical Metamaterials

Metamateriau; Metamaterial

Artificial material with physical properties beyond those of natural materials.

Left-handed material ; Matériau à main gauche

Material in which the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave is negative. The optical index of this material is real but negative.

Split-ring resonators (SRR); circular resonators (RCC)

Cut circular resonators that exhibit a resonant frequency when a magnetic field parallel to their axis passes through them. The equivalent permeability of these resonators can become negative in the vicinity of this resonant frequency.

Vitesse de phase; phase velocity

Speed of change of the phase of a wave. This velocity can become negative in a left-handed material. In this case, the electric field, magnetic field and wave vector of the wave propagating in the material form an inverted trihedron (represented by...