Nonlinear properties of left-handed metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper investigates the nonlinear behavior of left-handed metamaterials, showing how their magnetic properties can switch between states due to hysteresis effects, enabling control over their electromagnetic characteristics.

Contribution

It introduces a model for nonlinear left-handed metamaterials with hysteresis effects, revealing phase transition-like changes in their transmission properties.

Findings

Magnetic permeability exhibits hysteresis depending on field intensity.

External field variation induces phase transition-like changes.

Material can switch between left- and right-handed states.

Abstract

We analyze nonlinear properties of microstructured materials with negative refraction, the so-called left-handed metamaterials. We consider a two-dimensional periodic structure created by arrays of wires and split-ring resonators embedded into a nonlinear dielectric, and calculate the effective nonlinear electric permittivity and magnetic permeability. We demonstrate that the hysteresis-type dependence of the magnetic permeability on the field intensity allows changing the material from left- to right-handed and back. These effects can be treated as the second-order phase transitions in the transmission properties induced by the variation of an external field.