Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

A Method to Fabricate Disconnected Silver Nanostructures in 3D
Published on: November 27, 2012
How to realize a negative refractive index material at the atomic level in an optical frequency range?
Jian-qi Shen1, Zhi-chao Ruan, Sai-ling He
1Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Joint Research Centre of Photonics of the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and Zhejiang University, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. jqshen@coer.zju.edu.cn.
Abstract:
The theoretical mechanism for realizing a negative refractive index material in an optical frequency range with an atomic gas system of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is studied. It is shown that under certain conditions such a dense gas can exhibit simultaneously negative permittivity and negative permeability, and negligibly small loss.
Related Concept Videos
Focusing of Light in the Eye
Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy
In optical microscopy, the specimen to be viewed is placed on a glass slide and clipped on the stage...
Electromagnetic Waves in Matter
Consider the electromagnetic wave passing through a dielectric medium. In such a case, Maxwell's equations get modified. In Ampere's law, ε0 , the dielectric permittivity of free space is replaced with ε, the permittivity of dielectric. Also, the vacuum permeability μ0 is replaced by the permeability of the medium, μ.
Furthermore, the...
Law of Rational Indices
The de Broglie Wavelength

