Metamaterials at 10 GHz – 40 GHz

Metamaterials are artificially produced materials with optical properties that do not occur in nature.

Metamaterials are artificially produced materials with optical properties that do not occur in nature, e.g., refractive indices that are less than 1 and even negative. This makes it possible—at least in theory—to achieve cloaking effects and so-called superlenses. In recent years, negative index metamaterials (NIM), which have a negative refractive index n with ε < 0 and μ < 0, have attracted particular interest among researchers.

NIM prism
In the foreground, a metamaterial prism can be seen that exhibits negative refraction between 9 GHz and 10 GHz. In comparison, a dielectric prism with a positive refractive index can be seen in the background.

As part of a DFG-funded project, so-called fishnet structures were designed, simulated, and measured at a frequency of 40 GHz at the Institute for Electrical and Optical Communications Engineering (INT) with the aim of building a powerful superlens that can exceed the diffraction-limited resolution of conventional lenses. The prerequisites for this are high transmission, low reflection, polarization and angle independence, and a negative refractive index of -1.

NIM fishnet stack
Layered stack of a fishnet structure

Publications

  1. 2014

    1. W. Sfar Zaoui, M. Nafe, M. Geng, W. Vogel, and M. Berroth, “Theoretical and experimental investigation of negative index fishnet metamaterial multilayers in the Q-band,” Waves in Random and Complex Media, vol. 24, pp. 149–163, 2014.

  2. 2013

    1. M. Nafe, W. Sfar Zaoui, and M. Berroth, “Simulation study of 3D polarization independent fishnet negative index metamaterials at 40 GHz,” in International Conference on Aerospace Sciences and Aviation Technology (ASAT), Cairo, Egypt, 2013, p. Paper 009–MS.

  3. 2010

    1. W. Sfar Zaoui, K. Chen, W. Vogel, and M. Berroth, “Novel low loss broadband polarization independent fishnet negative index metamaterials at 40 GHz,” in International Conference on Photonic and Electromagnetic Crystal Structures, (PECS-IX), Granada, Spain, 2010, p. 126.

  4. 2008

    1. A. Rumberg and M. Berroth, “Equivalent Circuit of Metamaterials with a Negative Permeability,” in Proceedings from the GigaHertz Symposium, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2008.

  5. 2007

    1. A. Rumberg and M. Berroth, “Negative refractive index in stacked conventional structured printed circuit board material,” in International Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic Materials in Microwaves and Optics, Metamaterials, Rome, Italy, 2007, pp. 280–283.
    2. A. Rumberg and M. Berroth, “Stacking of Negative Refractive Index Cut-Wire Pair Configuration in a Waveguide Environment,” in Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), Bangkok, Thailand, 2007, pp. 1–4.
Additional information
  • DFG project
    Fokussierende Negativ-Index-Strukturen im Millimeterwellenbereich [german]

Contact

This image shows Wolfgang Vogel

Wolfgang Vogel

Dr.-Ing.

Senior Lecturer / Vice Director

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