A few years ago the term 'meta-material' was coined for the combination of engineered materials with physical properties radically different from any of its constituents. A subset of meta-materials have become known as negative (refractive) index materials (NIM). Theory and later experiments have demonstrated that Snell's Law of Refraction can support electro-magnetic energy travel 'opposite' the usual direction, yielding a refractive index that is negative! For about six years now, research supported mostly by DARPA has investigated the NIM concept and concluded that it is sufficiently viable to justify the development of engineering applications for NIMs. In this seminar we will trace the background, proof of principle and some potential applications including the sci-fi concept of a 'cloaking device.' A few minutes review before the seminar with an undergraduate physics book on the material parameters known as permittivity and permeability will enhance your understanding.

Professor Crisman is a research faculty member at URI and is often on campus. If you'd like to meet with him, please feel free to contact him directly.