Magnetic resonance hybridization and optical activity of microwaves in a chiral metamaterial

The propagation of microwaves through a chiral metamaterial based on a magnetic dimer is experimentally studied. As proposed by our previous theoretical model, two resonance peaks are obtained in the transmission spectrum; these originate from the hybridization effect of magnetic resonance modes in this system. Optical activity is also observed in the transmission wave. The polarization state dramatically changes around the resonance frequency: the transmitted wave becomes elliptically polarized with its major polarization axis approximately perpendicular to that of the linear incident wave. This coupled magnetic dimer system provides a practical method to optically design tunable active medium and device. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.