Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Standing Waves in a Cavity

Standing Waves in a Cavity

A household microwave and lasers are examples of standing electromagnetic waves in a cavity. When two conducting metal plates are placed parallel at the nodal planes, it creates a cavity where standing waves are formed. The cavity between the two planes is analogous to a stretched string held at the points x = 0 and x = L. Here, the distance 'L' between the two planes must be an integer multiple of half of the wavelength. The wavelengths that satisfy this condition are given by:

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Trapped Scholte modes supported by soft elastic cylindrical rods underwater.

Physical review. E·2026

Same author

Zero electromagnetic coupling of closely spaced identical helical resonators.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Microwave modes of ambidextrous helices.

Scientific reports·2025

Same author

Method for extracting the surface impedance of a generic reflective metasurface.

Scientific reports·2024

Same author

Traveling Wave Amplification in Stationary Gratings.

Physical review letters·2024

Same author

Eigenpulses of Dispersive Time-Varying Media.

Physical review letters·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Published on: December 27, 2012

Direct observation of negative-index microwave surface waves.

J A Dockrey¹, S A R Horsley¹, I R Hooper¹

¹Electromagnetic and Acoustic Materials Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QL, UK.

Scientific Reports

|February 24, 2016

Summary

Scientists experimentally demonstrated a surface wave phenomenon analogous to negative-index materials. This metasurface supports two wavevector eigenstates, one with a positive and one with a negative mode index, observable via near-field measurements.

More Related Videos

Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method

Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method

Published on: October 18, 2012

Demonstration of Equal-Intensity Beam Generation by Dielectric Metasurfaces

Demonstration of Equal-Intensity Beam Generation by Dielectric Metasurfaces

Published on: June 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Published on: December 27, 2012

Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method

Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method

Published on: October 18, 2012

Demonstration of Equal-Intensity Beam Generation by Dielectric Metasurfaces

Demonstration of Equal-Intensity Beam Generation by Dielectric Metasurfaces

Published on: June 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Physics
Materials Science
Electromagnetism

Background:

Negative-index materials exhibit unique wave propagation where the wavevector (k) is antiparallel to the Poynting vector (S).
Metasurfaces offer novel electromagnetic properties not found in natural materials.
Surface waves confine electromagnetic energy to interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally realize a surface wave phenomenon analogous to negative-index materials at microwave frequencies.
To investigate metasurfaces supporting surface modes with both positive and negative mode indices.
To directly observe the negative-index phenomenon in a surface wave context.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of a specialized metasurface.
Experimental measurements at microwave frequencies.
Phase-sensitive near-field measurements of surface waves.

Main Results:

Demonstrated a metasurface supporting surface waves with two distinct wavevector eigenstates within a narrow frequency band.
Observed one eigenstate exhibiting positive mode index surface waves.
Observed a second eigenstate exhibiting negative mode index surface waves.

Conclusions:

The experimental realization provides a direct observation of the negative-index phenomenon in surface waves.
This work opens avenues for novel electromagnetic devices and wave manipulation.
The contrasting spatial evolution of the two eigenstates offers unique insights into wave behavior at interfaces.