High transmittance left-handed materials involving symmetric split-ring resonators

We present theoretical and experimental results for a new design of highly symmetric, multigap split-ring resonators (SRRs), as well as for left-handed materials of a broad and high transmittance left-handed band, achieved by combining those symmetric SRRs with continuous wires. Studying in detail, both theoretically and experimentally, our proposed symmetric SRRs, we proved that they avoid the electric field excitation of the magnetic SRR resonance; thus they are appropriate for the creation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional left-handed materials. Finally, we propose critical design rules for the development of low-loss and broad-band left-handed materials. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.