Holographic Optics and Negative Refractive Index

TL;DR

This paper uses holography to analyze strongly coupled relativistic media, revealing that such systems often exhibit a negative refractive index, especially at low frequencies, advancing understanding of exotic optical properties.

Contribution

It introduces a holographic approach to study negative refractive index in strongly coupled relativistic systems, highlighting its potential as a common feature in hydrodynamic regimes.

Findings

Strongly coupled relativistic media can have negative refractive index.

Negative refractive index may be common in low-frequency relativistic hydrodynamics.

Holography provides a useful framework for exploring exotic optical properties.

Abstract

In recent years a very exciting and intense activity has been devoted to the understanding and construction of materials that enjoy exotic optical properties, such as a negative refractive index. Motivated by these experimental and theoretical developments, we use the string-inspired idea of holography to study the electromagnetic response of a certain class of media: strongly coupled relativistic systems that admit a dual gravitational description. Our results indicate that this type of media generally have a negative refractive index. Moreover we observe that a negative refractive index could be a common feature of relativistic hydrodynamic systems at low frequencies.