The anomalous localized resonances that metamaterials and plasmonic media support when interfaced with regular materials may be exploited to overcome some intrinsic diffractive limitations in guiding and radiating nanocomponents. We have proposed several solutions at optical, IR and radio frequencies that exploit these concepts to realize novel conception sub-diffractive or superdirective waveguides, cavities, lasers, scatterers and antennas.

Sample Publications

A. Alu, and N. Engheta, "Anomalies of Sub-Diffractive Guided-Wave Propagation along Metamaterial Nanocomponents," Radio Science, special issue on "Analytical Scattering and Diffraction" guest edited by P. L. E. Uslenghi (in press).

A. Alu and N. Engheta, "Higher-Order Resonant Power Flow Inside and Around Superdirective Plasmonic Nanoparticles," Journal of the Optical Society of America B, Special Issue on Photonic Metamaterials: from Random to Periodic, Vol. 24, No. 10, pp. A89-A97, October 2007.

A. Alu and N. Engheta, "Enhanced Directivity from Sub-Wavelength Infrared/Optical Nano-Antennas Loaded with Plasmonic Materials or Metamaterials," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Special Issue on Optical and THz and Antennas, guest editors: Peter de Maagt and George Hansen, Vol. 55, No. 11, November 2007 (in press).

A. Alu, F. Bilotti, N. Engheta, and L. Vegni, "Sub-Wavelength Planar Leaky-Wave Components with Metamaterial Bilayers," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 55, No. 3, Part 2, pp. 882-891, March 2007.

A. Alu, F. Bilotti, N. Engheta, and L. Vegni, "Sub-Wavelength, Compact, Resonant Patch Antennas Loaded with Metamaterials," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 13-25, January 2007.

A. Alu, and N. Engheta, "Polarizabilities and Effective Parameters for Collections of Spherical Nano-Particles Formed by Pairs of Concentric Double-Negative (DNG), Single-Negative (SNG) and/or Double-Positive (DPS) Metamaterial Layers," Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 97, 094310 (12 pages), May 1, 2005 (erratum in Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 99, 069901, March 15, 2006).

F. Bilotti, A. Alu, N. Engheta, and L. Vegni, "Anomalous Properties of Scattering from Cavities Partially Loaded with Double-Negative or Single-Negative Metamaterials," in Progress in Electromagnetics Research, Special Issue on Metamaterials, Jin Au Kong, ed., Vol. 51, pp. 49-63, 2005.

J. Li and N. Engheta,"Subwavelength plasmonic cavity resonator on a nanowire with periodic permittivity variation", Physical Review B., vol. 74, no. 11, 115125 (2006).

N. Engheta, "An Idea for Thin, Subwavelength Cavity Resonators Using Metamaterials with Negative Permittivity and Permeability," in the IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters. Vol. 1, pp. 10-13, 2002.

A. Alu, and N. Engheta, "An Overview of Salient Properties of Planar Guided-Wave Structures with Double-Negative (DNG) and Single-Negative (SNG) Layers," in Negative Refraction Metamaterials: Fundamental Properties and Applications, G. V. Eleftheriades, and K. G. Balmain, eds., Ch. 9, pp. 339-380, IEEE Press, John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2005.

A. Alu, and N. Engheta, "Guided Modes in a Waveguide Filled with a Pair of Single-Negative (SNG), Double-Negative (DNG), and/or Double-Positive (DPS) Layers," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 199-210, January 2004.

For details regarding this image, please see, J. Li and N. Engheta, "Subwavelength plasmonic cavity resonator on a nanowire with periodic permittivity variation", Physical Review B., vol. 74, no. 11, 115125 (2006).