Transmission Measurements in Wedge-Shaped Absorbing Samples: An Experiment for Observing Negative Refraction

Published

June 1, 2003

Author(s)

M Sanz, A Papageorgopoulos, William F. Egelhoff Jr., M Nieto-Vesperinas, N Garcia

Abstract

We report experiments of light transmissivity at wavelengths: 532 and 400 nm, through an Au film with a wedge shape. Our results mimic the negative refraction reported by others for so-called left handed materials. A mimic of negative refraction is observed, even though this medium is well known to be right handed, thus its refractive index has a positive real part. Analogous results are obtained with a glass wedge at 320nm where absorption dominates. The experiment is explained by wave losses that dominate over propagation, as in the observation of negative refraction, as reported by other for synthetic metamaterial wedges. We design and propose an experiment with metamaterials by using thicker wires, in correspondence with light experiments that should conclusively determine whether refraction is positive or negative.

Citation

Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics)

Volume

67

Issue

No. 6

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

left handed materials, light transmission, negative refractive index

Citation

Sanz, M. , Papageorgopoulos, A. , Egelhoff Jr., W. , Nieto-Vesperinas, M. and Garcia, N. (2003), Transmission Measurements in Wedge-Shaped Absorbing Samples: An Experiment for Observing Negative Refraction, Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics) (Accessed November 6, 2025)