Pairs of metallic crosses as a left-handed metamaterial with improved polarization properties

We designed and analysed a new structure for the realization of left-handed metamaterials in the GHz region. The material is composed of pairs of metallic crosses and reveals improved polarization behavior. Left-handed properties can be observed as long as the electrical field vector is located in the plane of the crosses. Negative refraction as indication for simultaneous negative effective epsilon and mu is numerically verified by direct comparison of the wavefronts inside and outside the metamaterial at nonzero angles of incidence. (c) Optical Society of America