My newest metamaterial paper: Power loss and electromagnetic energy density in a dispersive metamaterial medium

Phys. Rev. E 80, 046601 (2009) [5 pages]
Power loss and electromagnetic energy density in a dispersive metamaterial medium

Pi-Gang Luan
Wave Engineering Laboratory, Department of Optics and Photonics, National Central University, Jhungli 320, Taiwan

Received 8 March 2009; revised 11 July 2009; published 5 October 2009

Received 8 March 2009; revised 11 July 2009; published 5 October 2009

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The power loss and electromagnetic energy density of a metamaterial consisting of arrays of wires and split-ring resonators are investigated. We show that a field energy density formula can be derived consistently from both the electrodynamic (ED) approach and the equivalent circuit (EC) approach. The derivations are based on the knowledge of the dynamical equations of the electric and magnetic dipoles in the medium and the correct form of the power loss. We discuss the role of power loss in determining the form of energy density and explain why the power loss should be identified first in the ED derivation. When the power loss is negligible and the field is harmonic, our energy density formula reduces to the result of Landau's classical formula. For the general case with finite power loss, our investigation resolves the apparent contradiction between the previous results derived by the EC and ED approaches.

©2009 The American Physical Society