Hyperbolic metamaterial interfaces: Hawking radiation from Rindler horizons and the "end of time"

TL;DR

This paper explores how hyperbolic metamaterial interfaces can simulate Rindler horizons and the 'end of time', leading to phenomena like Hawking radiation and divergent electromagnetic fields, with experimental validation using plasmonic metamaterials.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of Hawking radiation and the 'end of time' physics at metamaterial interfaces based on boundary orientation, linking metamaterials to relativistic spacetime analogs.

Findings

Hawking radiation can be observed at specific metamaterial boundaries.

Electromagnetic fields diverge at interfaces in lossless approximations.

Experimental evidence supports the 'end of time' phenomena in plasmonic metamaterials.

Abstract

Extraordinary rays in a hyperbolic metamaterial behave as particle world lines in a three dimensional (2+1) Minkowski spacetime. We analyze electromagnetic field behavior at the boundaries of this effective spacetime depending on the boundary orientation. If the boundary is perpendicular to the space-like direction in the metamaterial, an effective Rindler horizon may be observed which produces Hawking radiation. On the other hand, if the boundary is perpendicular to the time-like direction an unusual physics situation is created, which can be called "the end of time". It appears that in the lossless approximation electromagnetic field diverges at the interface in both situations. Experimental observations of the "end of time" using plasmonic metamaterials confirm this conclusion.