At this time, however, metamaterials are limited. This is because a metamaterial's behavior is typically formed from individual components, and each component responds independently to a radiated spectrum of light. In addition, as artificially constructed materials, both the magnetic and electric components of the radiated light can be controlled at will, in any desired fashion as it travels, or more accurately propagates, through the material. Therefore, the range of response to radiated light is expanded beyond the ordinary optical limitations that are described by the sciences of physical optics and optical physics. Metamaterials, on the other hand, are capable of a very strong interaction, or coupling, with the magnetic component of light. Since the beginning of optical sciences, centuries ago, the ability to control the light with materials has been limited to these common optical effects. This results in only the most common optical effects, such as ordinary refraction with common diffraction limitations in lenses and imaging. The corresponding magnetic interaction is essentially nil. Hence, although light consists of an electric field and a magnetic field, ordinary optical materials, such as optical microscope lenses, have a strong reaction only to the electric field. Moreover, these metamaterials are a basis for building very small cloaking devices in anticipation of larger devices, adaptable to a broad spectrum of radiated light. Macroscopic properties can be directly controlled by adjusting characteristics of the rudimentary elements, and their arrangement on, or throughout the material. The selected wavelength could be radio frequency, microwave, or other radiations, now just beginning to reach into the visible frequencies. Also, a metamaterial is composed of a sequence of elements and spacings, which are much smaller than the selected wavelength of light. Additionally, for microwave frequencies, these materials are analogous to crystals for optics. The artificial structure for cloaking applications is a lattice design – a sequentially repeating network – of identical elements. That need will be determined by the particular application. At the same time, metamaterials have the potential to be engineered and constructed with desirable properties that fit a specific need. In other words, these metamaterials can be further defined as artificially structured composite materials, which exhibit interaction with light usually not available in nature ( electromagnetic interactions). Main articles: Metamaterials and Split-ring resonatorĮlectromagnetic metamaterials respond to chosen parts of radiated light, also known as the electromagnetic spectrum, in a manner that is difficult or impossible to achieve with natural materials.

Ivisible ligt bending