Realizing almost perfect bending waveguides with anisotropic epsilon-near-zero metamaterials

We study metamaterials with an anisotropic permittivity tensor in which one component is near zero. We find that such an anisotropic metamaterial can be used to control wave propagation and construct almost perfect bending waveguides with a high transmission rate (> 95%). This interesting effect originates in the power flow redistribution by the surface waves on the input and output interfaces, which smoothly matches with the propagating modes inside the metamaterial waveguide. We also find that waves in such anisotropic epsilon-near-zero materials can be reflected by small-sized perfect magnetic conductor defects. Numerical calculations have been performed to confirm the above effects. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http:/dx.doi.org10.10631.4723844]