Chapter 2

2.1 Literature Review

In this section, we will go over some of the prior works that are linked to our thesis, “DESIGN
AND SIMULATION OF THE NEW COMPACT NEGATIVE REFRACTIVE INDEX
METAMATERIAL FOR C-BAND APPLICATIONS.” It is required for successful research
and the achievement of superior results. The aim of this research work is to design metamaterials
in the C-band regime. It is important to acknowledgement the outline of metamaterial before
starting the design process. The background of metamaterial, their classifications, features,
applications are discussed in this chapter. Moreover, different types of metamaterials, their
advantages and drawbacks are also described. Inclusive reviews of former researchers on
metamaterials are also presented at the end of this chapter.

2.1.1 Methodology

A methodology is a systematic strategy for tackling a research problem. It is a field of study that
examines how scientific research is done. In it, we examine the several methods and underlying
reasoning that a researcher uses while investigating a research topic. The researcher needs not just
knowledge of specific methods and processes, but also an understanding of the overall strategy.
Researchers need not only the ability to establish indices or tests, median, mode, compute the mean,
standard deviation, or chi-square, and use particular research procedures, and also the ability to decide
which of these approaches are important and which are not, and what they suggest and signal.

2.1.2 Paper selection

Paper picking is similar to reading a large number of research papers that I enjoy, the job of which I
understand is to select a number of papers from here. The ability to construct a decent proposal subject
is a significant talent. To be fascinating, it must be concentrated and constrained enough, yet large
enough to discover diverse sufficient data. Our thesis subject has been chosen as “DESIGN AND
SIMULATION OF THE NEW COMPACT NEGATIVE REFRACTIVE INDEX METAMATERIAL FOR C-BAND
APPLICATIONS.” Its goal is to develop the most generic axioms, or scientific hypotheses. Choosing this
topic previously, our key attention points are-

 Selecting a topic that resembles my ultimate goal;

 Is a brainstorming session necessary?
 Will this topic help you understand the literature?
 Is the work flexible?
 What exactly is a research statement?

2.1.3 Subtract selection:

We gathered information from the research papers we analyzed in order to better understand how to
develop optimal shapes for Metamaterials. Then we design the ones we've found useful and compare
different settings between them.

2.1.4 Parameter Selection:

Metamaterials, field region, directivity, gain, impedance, and efficiency were all measured. We cover the
aforementioned metamaterial parameters because each parameter is critical for analyzing metamaterial
performance. Metamaterials, field region, directivity, gain, impedance, and efficiency are essential
characteristics that influence Metamaterials performance. These factors can be used to assess the
performance of Metamaterials. As a result, we choose those parameters.

2.1.5 The Method of Performance Analysis:

First and foremost, I chose the Metamaterials because of its critical function in today's wireless
communication networks. We employ several substrates with varying frequencies. The CST STDIO SUITE
2020 was used for designing this Metamaterials. Designing each Metamaterials on a distinct substrate
with a different frequency and paying attention to Metamaterials parameters such as gain, directivity,
radiation pattern, S12 parameter and size.

We calculate the gain, directivity, and loss for a single Metamaterials. We are making a list of the
outcomes. We will compare these data to see which components are more efficient, what happens
when the height grows, what happens when the frequency increases, and so on.

2.2 BACKGROUND OF METAMATERIAL

Artificial engineered materials made by the researcher are called metamaterial. It has
extraordinary properties such as negative electric permittivity, negative magnetic permeability,
negative refractive index, reverse Snell’s law, inverted Doppler Effect, reverse Poynting vector,
etc. Actually, metamaterials are made by the periodic structure of its unit cells that is smaller
than the wavelength of the applied electromagnetic wave. Metamaterials have another promising
property that is tailoring negative effective media parameters at a particular frequency. Currently,
scientists are interested in these metamaterials because of its exotic electromagnetic properties.
Metamaterials can show negative permeability and negative permittivity simultaneously at a
certain frequency that makes it different from natural materials. In the late 1940s, scientist
Winston E. Kock built a material which had the same properties of artificial engineered
materials. Some natural noble materials have negative permittivity such as silver, gold, etc.
However, getting the permeability in the natural material is a very rare case. That is why to
obtain negative permeability and negative permittivity simultaneously in the natural material is
not possible at a particular frequency. At first in 1968, the Russian scientist Viktor Veselago
delivered the theoretical explanation of materials which have negative magnetic permeability and
negative electric permittivity properties simultaneously at a certain frequency. A uniform plane
wave in a media is opposing to the conventional medium by his theory. In his theory, he showed
the direction of phase velocity of the wave in the media is the anti-parallel direction of Poynting
vector. Due to the lack of these properties in natural materials, this topic was not interesting for a
long time. In the 1990s, Sir John Pendry and his research group wished to build a material with
negative magnetic permeability. For this purpose, they made an array of metal loops. Lately, they
had to able to obtain negative magnetic permeability using a periodic array of split ring resonator
(SRR) in 1999 [18]. It was conceivable because of the magnetic field of the incident
electromagnetic wave, and the plane of the array structure acts normal. Shelby et al. explained
the effective index of refraction in their research works by using a two-dimensional array of
repeated split ring resonators and wire strips [19].

Artificial engineered material can easily cooperate with the electric field and magnetic
field of the electromagnetic waves that was not possible with conventional materials. Artificial
metamaterial reveals exotic electromagnetic characteristics, for example, index of negative
refraction [20], inverted Doppler shift effects [21], reverse Snell’s law [22], and electromagnetic
invisibility cloaking [23]. The permittivity and permeability of the effective media parameters
can be attained from Maxwell’s equation that is directly related to the charge property and
current distribution of the media. The effective media can be arranged by repeating unit cell
structure of smaller than the operating wavelength. The confirmation of effective media can be
fulfilled by the term that is called effective media ratio (EMR). The definition of EMR is the
ratio between the wavelength of the applied electromagnetic field and the size of the engineered
material unit cell. The multiple scattering parameters in a periodic array of the unit cell cause a
band gap in the photonic crystals or band gap materials. On the contrary, in the case of an
electromagnetic band gap (EBG), EMR is not a vital matter. To make a bulk metamaterial,
generally, a number of scattering unit cells is considered. Depending on the proper EMR, the
electromagnetic property of metamaterials is totally influenced. The properties of the individual
unit cell are similar to the metamaterial array structure; for that reason, the properties of the
metamaterials can be optimized from the unit cells. Therefore, by altering the different
parameters of the unit cell structure, metamaterial’s designer can make the desired design
structure because of autonomy.

2.3 Aspects of Metamaterials and Research Gaps

The interesting features of the artificial engineered material that makes a current interest and
widespread research significantly based on a certain application. Artificial metamaterials have
some common features that are described as follows. Metamaterials easily can control and
manipulate the applied electromagnetic wave and can change their behaviors. Engineered
metamaterials can turn the light wave in any direction according to the reverse Snell’s law with
its limitation. Man-made metamaterials can enhance wireless power transfer. Different renowned
mobile companies such as Hewlett-Packards, Samsung and Ericson are utilizing metamaterials to
control the beam forming for 5G technologies. Metamaterials can save the human body and
protect catastrophes from electromagnetic radiation that are come from RF components using
shielding. It can reduce SAR effect on the human head. Metamaterials can be used to make an
invisible cloak to hide the object and save from enemy attract. The invisibility cloaking system
can be utilized for security purposes of any country. Utilizing the negative refractive index
properties of metamaterials, the perfect lens can be made easily that can be focused on the entire
spectrum. Recently, metamaterials can be embedded with the antenna to achieve the high gain,
compactness, more bandwidth, etc. More efficient, low-weight, and cost-effective broadband
devices such as communications satellite are available due to metamaterials.

Metamaterials have some drawbacks, though metamaterials are best suitable for many
applications. Drawbacks of metamaterials are as follows. Metamaterials can work only for a
limited range of wavelengths. Metamaterials are made by lossy materials; for that reason, it can
produce lossy components. It is problematic to make large scale. During the operation period, it
is not possible to change the design structure. It has some consequent drawbacks in bandwidth.

2.4 Types of Metamaterials

Metamaterials can be classified according to the value of effective parameters (effective electric
permittivity and effective magnetic permeability), for example, double positive metamaterial,
single negative metamaterial, double negative metamaterial, and zero index metamaterial.

The single negative metamaterial can also be classified as epsilon negative metamaterials or mue
negative metamaterials. Based on the value of effective parameters, the classifications of
metamaterials are four types . Besides, some other types of metamaterials are also considered in
the research area, for instant, frequency selective surface (FSS), and electromagnetic band gap
(EBG), etc.

2.4.1 Double Positive Materials (DPM)

The materials which both the positive value of electric permittivity and magnetic permeability
are called double positive materials. Most of the natural materials characteristics show likes
dielectric materials.

2.4.2 Single Negative Metamaterials (SNG)

The single negative metamaterial (SNG) is one kind of metamaterial that has one negative value
such as negative electric permittivity (ε) or negative magnetic permeability (μ). So, SNG can be
classified into two types such as epsilon negative metamaterials (ENG)and mue negative
metamaterials (MNG). Metamaterials which positive magnetic permeability (μ) and negative
electric permittivity (ε)is called ENG metamaterials Metamaterials which reveal positive electric
permittivity(ε) and negative magnetic permeability(μ) is called MNG metamaterials. Utilizing
single MNG and single ENG metamaterial, an experiment of wave reflection was completed
earlier. The experiment also provided the results of resonance, zero reflection and transparency.
ENG metamaterial medium is also called a plasmonic medium. Several metals such as silver and
gold have ENG properties in higher frequencies (infrared and visible ranges). At optical
frequency, the surface plasmon is made by plasma medium that arises at the interface between
two dielectrics medium coated by a thin film layer of metal. At specific condition, surface
plasmons are coupled with the incident electromagnetic wave to make self-sustaining
propagating light waves. It was exhibited that similar plasmon frequency of the incident
electromagnetic wave can be attained with a smaller wavelength. The plasmonic medium has
many vital applications such as sensors, bolometers and cloaking.

2.4.3 Double Negative Metamaterials (DNG)

Metamaterials are called double negative metamaterials (DNG) while it contains negative
electric permittivity and negative magnetic permeability simultaneously at a specific frequency.
Based on the electric and magnetic resonators, Shelby et al. developed a DNG metamaterial by
the two-dimensional array of repeated unit cells [19]. The unit cell comprised the split ring
resonator on the substrate materials and thin wire on the back side.
The predictions of Maxwell’s equations are validated by their experiments. They showed that
electric permittivity and magnetic permeability both were negative while they got a negative
refractive index at a certain frequency. For that reason, negative refractive index metamaterial
also called DNG metamaterials. Sometimes, DNG metamaterials are called left-handed
metamaterials and backward wave metamaterials because of negative refraction of the incident
electromagnetic wave. The DNG metamaterials were developed combing the planar capacitive
loaded strips (CLS) unit cell and split-ring resonators (SRR) unit cell on the same side of
substrate material in 2003 by the researcher Ziolkowski. Researcher [28] also showed
numerically, and experimentally the design structure acted as a DNG metamaterial slab. Padilla
et al. in 2006, they exhibited negative refractive index and positive refractive index properties in
their research papers [29]. The electromagnetic wave passed through the right-handed material
(RHL) and left-handed metamaterial (LHM). In the LHM metamaterial, the electromagnetic
wave flow to the backward direction; on the other hand, the wave flow through the RHM media
to the forward direction.

2.4.4 Zero-index Metamaterials (ZIM)

Zero-index metamaterials are metamaterials that have near-zero or zero value of electric
permittivity and/ or magnetic permeability at a specific frequency. Zero-index metamaterials can
be classified into two, such as mu near-zero (MNZ) refractive index and epsilon-near-zero (ENZ)
refractive index. The real value of magnetic permeability near zero of a metamaterial is called
MNZ metamaterial. Similarly, the real value of electric permittivity near to zero of a
metamaterial is called ENZ metamaterial. ZIM are an exotic class of metamaterials because of
zero value of electric permittivity and magnetic permeability means zero refractive indexes. The
media getting near-zero or zero index of refractive gives uniform phase distribution of the
incident electromagnetic wave. The oscillations of the dipole of such types of metamaterials are
uniform. Hence, these types of metamaterials reveal high directional wave and make nearly no
phase shift. To create a narrow far-field pattern, ZIMs can be utilized. It can make a uniform
radiation field [30] that can provide a highly directional and collimated outgoing beam to the
planar surface. To control the direction of emission of the microstrip patch antenna, the ZIMs
can enhance the directivity of this antenna.
 2.4.5 Frequency Selective Surface (FSS)
A planar, thin, and periodic surface structure to transmit, reflect and absorb light wave based on
the desired frequency of the electromagnetic field is called frequencyselective surface (FSS). In
this case, FSS can be considered as metal mesh optical filters or optical filter in which the
filtering can be completed using regular, periodic pattern on the surface of the FSS. The general
application of FSS is either band stop or bandpass filters in the microwave regime. In addition,
FSS is broadly utilized antenna radome to save the antenna and as a reflector to enhance the
antenna performance. To improve the fractional bandwidth using fractal structure, antenna-filter-
antenna concept based on multilayer FSS was presented by Li et al. in 2015 [31].

2.4.6 Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG)

Electromagnetic band-gap structure materials are one of the quickly progressing materials in the
microwave regime. They can manipulate the direction of the propagation of electromagnetic
fields that was not possible with previous time. Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) structures
provided a wide variability of design alternatives for the scientist who was working in photonics
and microwave arena. It has two main features such as inphase reflection coefficient and
suppression of surface wave. In-phase reflection feature of EBG leads to design low profile
antenna. Moreover, the suppression of surface wave of electronic gadgets is to diminish noise.
The EBG can be made by the repeated pattern of metal patches on the dielectric substrates.
Antenna with EBG structure [32] can improve the antenna performance such as gain
improvement, decreasing back radiation, improve compactness, wide bandwidth, reducing
attenuation level.

2.5 POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF METAMATERIALS

Metamaterials are being used in many exciting electromagnetism fields for its exotic
electromagnetic properties after fruitful discovery it. Though the examinations on this
metamaterial are still in the stage of exploring new concepts and new design structures. These
extraordinary materials have involved many theoretical problems in the field of
electromagnetism and offered many research opportunities for researchers. Few practical
applications already discovered by these artificial engineered metamaterials. Apart from
metamaterial-based absorbers applications, metamaterials are now being used almost all the
fields of electromagnetism. Metamaterials have also some applications to obtain better
performance such as metamaterials embedded antenna, metamaterial-based absorbers, cloaking
operation, metamaterial sensor, SAR reduction, shield of radiation, filter applications etc.
In the area of antenna design, so many contributions were completed by artificial engineered
materials. Tremendous performance can be attained by utilizing the man-made metamaterials. To
enhance the performance of ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna for a microwave imaging
application, a modified split ring resonator metamaterial was utilized [33]. Mahmud et al.
embedded 2×4 array structure on both sides means patch and ground to enhance the gain and
impedance bandwidth of the UWB antenna. In the research work, authors revealed the
improvement of impedance bandwidth of 10-20% and gain of 3 dBi.
The starting of the modern age, doing something invisible or hiding an object was an interesting
matter of the scientific community. The invisibility cloaking is one types of transformation
which creates a region of space or object hidden from view. The magnetic field and the electric
field must be canceled which are created by the object in the electromagnetic cloaking operation.
The electromagnetic cloaking can be performed another way to bend the electromagnetic wave
around the object in such a way which electromagnetically creates the object hidden. A single
layer near-pi-shaped rectangular metamaterial-based cloak was proposed by Islam et al. in 2015
for C-band application [34]. They showed that their cloak worked wideband (2 GHz) with near
zero refractive index properties. They also exhibited three kinds of cloak shapes for cloaking
electromagnetically a metal cylinder by the scattering width near zero.

2.6 LITERATURE REVIEWS ON METAMATERIALS

The different field such as electric field, magnetic field, and the propagation of electromagnetic
fields obey the right-hand rule in the natural materials. Moreover, artificial engineered materials
act as extraordinary materials that obey the left-hand rule. Hence, the propagation direction in the
metamaterials is opposite to the natural materials. The exotic properties of metamaterials can be
achieved by designing the artificial structure of the natural dielectric substrate materials.
Different metamaterials with different unit cell structures were suggested in the literature.
However, very few of the design structures are the application for C-band and X-band.

1) Several planar and non-planar metamaterials designed and tested by Richard W. Ziolkowski
that was double negative (DNG) properties at X-band frequency (Ziolkowski 2003). He depicted
two cases of metamaterial such as planar inclusion and nonplanar inclusion in his article. The
offered DNG metamaterial comprises of split-ring resonator (SRR) inclusions and capacitive
loaded strips (CLS). He analyzed a nonplanar structure that contained the five CLSs and four
SSRs in the metamaterial unit cell for the first case. At first, he examined the performances of
the SRR and CLS structure individually and then combined the four SRRs and five CLSs that
made a combined unit cell. The separate SRR and CLS inclusion showed the low transmission
parameters 9 GHz -16 GHz, and 9.5 GHz - 11GHz, respectively. A planar metamaterial
geometry with the same inclusion shapes examined in the second cases.The low transmission
parameters occurred from 6 GHz to 9 GHz and 11.50 GHz to 15.00 GHz, respectively. For the
fabrication purpose, all design structures were fabricated on the Rogers 5880 substrate materials.
The extracted effective parameters of a metamaterial exhibited DNG properties with 0.9 GHz
bandwidth.

2) A double negative split H-shaped metamaterial fabricated on low cost lossy FR4 substrate
material depicted by Islam et al. in 2014. The design structure exhibited multiband (S-, C-, X-,
and Ku-band) operation with negative electric permittivity and negative magnetic permeability,
simultaneously. The size of the unit cell of the design structure was very large like 30 mm × 30
mm × 1.6 mm.They depicted the design structure can be operated by theoretically and
practically. In addition, they exhibited the multi-band operation for 1×1 and 2×2 array structure
of the design structure. On the contrary, they achieved the effective medium ratios below 4 by
their unit cell structure [36]. Hence, it is not suitable for subwavelength operation.

3) A Z-shaped metamaterial was reported by Hasan et al. in 2016 with 10 mm × 10 mm size of

the unit cell structure [37]. They gained 2.17 GHz wide bandwidth of double negative region that
was fabricated on the glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material. The design structure also
exhibited wide negative refractive index with C- and X- band applications. By altering the
polarization of angle, the bandwidth of the refractive index varied that they revealed in their
article. The design structure achieved more than 4 effective medium ratio that endured the
design could be applicable for sub-wavelength operation.

4) A split-S-shaped metamaterial with large size (20 mm × 20 mm × 1.6 mm) design structure
was suggested by Islam et al. in 2017 [38]. The design unit cell structure comprises two C-
shaped splits-ring resonators that is placed in such a way looking like S shaped structure. The
unit cell and an array of the design structure fabricated lossy FR4 dielectric substrate materials.
The design structure exhibited zero refractive indexes, epsilon negative, and double negative
property for multi-band operation. The effective medium parameter of the structure was less than
4 which was not suitable for subwavelength operation.

5) The miniaturized and combined split-P-shaped metamaterial unit cell architecture was
proposed by Alam et al. for converting radiation into the suitable form [39]. The dimension of
the unit cell structure was (10×10×1.6) mm3 that was printed on a lossy FR4 dielectric substrate
material.Moreover, the design architecture exhibited double negative properties for C-, X-, and
Ku-band operation with 1.31 GHz bandwidth. In addition, the design architecture achieved more
than 4 EMR. Therefore, the structure is suitable for sub-wavelength operation.

2.7 SUMMARY
An inclusive review of the research works conducted by other renowned researchers previously
is presented in this chapter. First of all, the general overview of metamaterial background,
aspects of metamaterials and drawbacks, classifications are described. After that, the potential
applications of metamaterial and its performance are described as well. It is also observed
lightweight, compact, cost-effective, and more efficient properties of metamaterial are more
encouraging and promising. Hence, the emphasis is grown on designing low profile, compact
metamaterials for metamaterial applications. The methods and techniques that are employed to
develop the metamaterials are described in detail in the next chapter.
 Refference

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11, pp. 2075-2084, November 1999.

[19] R. Shelby, D. Smith, S. Nemat-Nasser, and S. Schultz, “Microwave Transmission through a Two-
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[34] S. S. Islam, M. R. I. Faruque, and M. T. Islam, “A near Zero Refractive Index Metamaterial for
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[39] J. M. Alam, M. R. Faruque, M. J. Hossain, and M. T. Islam, “Architecture of a Unified Split P‐Shaped
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