From photonic crystals to metamaterials: new challenges

Abstract

Photonic crystals represent periodic dielectric structures designed to control the flow of electromagnetic radiation. Photonic crystals can be viewed as a subclass of a larger family of material systems called metamaterials in which the properties derive mainly from the structure rather than from the material itself. As an example of metamaterials one can mention materials having negative refractive index opening the possibility to develop new functionalities of optical devices and components, with performances beyond the physical limit of natural materials. Modern technologies allow one to tailor the structural units of metamaterials in shape and size and to tune the composition and morphology as a function of the concrete applications. In this report, it is present a review on photonic metamaterials, i.e. of artificially structured composite materials that can be engineered to have desired electromagnetic properties.