Hyperbolic metamaterials: fusing artificial structures to natural 2D materials

Optical metamaterials have presented an innovative method of manipulating light. Hyperbolic metamaterials have an extremely high anisotropy with a hyperbolic dispersion relation. They are able to support high-k modes and exhibit a high density of states which produce distinctive properties that have been exploited in various applications, such as super-resolution imaging, negative refraction, and enhanced emission control. Here, state-of-the-art hyperbolic metamaterials are reviewed, starting from the fundamental principles to applications of artificially structured hyperbolic media to suggest ways to fuse natural two-dimensional hyperbolic materials. The review concludes by indicating the current challenges and our vision for future applications of hyperbolic metamaterials.

Automated summary

This article reviews the current status and applications of hyperbolic metamaterials, highlighting their highly anisotropic nature and hyperbolic dispersion relation. It explores the advantages of these materials in various applications such as super-resolution imaging, negative refraction, and enhanced emission control. The article also discusses the possibility of integrating artificial structured hyperbolic metamaterials with natural two-dimensional hyperbolic materials.