Magnetic control of a meta-molecule

Metamaterials offer the prospect of new science and applications. They have been designed by shaping or changing the material of the individual meta-molecules to achieve properties not naturally attainable. Composite meta-molecules incorporating a magnetic component offer new opportunities. In this work we report on the interaction between a non-magnetic split ring resonator (SRR) and a thin film of yttrium iron garnet (YIG). Strong hybridized resonances are observed. While the SRR is characterized by a magnetic and electric resonance, in practice, it is found that the YIG couples strongly to this symmetric (electric) mode of the SRR. It is also demonstrated that the anti-crossing region provides fertile ground for the creation of elementary excitations such as backward volume magnetostatic waves. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America