Index of refraction, a fundamental optical constant that enters in the descriptions of almost all optical phenomena, has long been considered an intrinsic property of a material. However, the recent progress in negative-index material (NIM) research has shown that the utilization of deep-subwavelength-scale features can provide a means to engineer fundamental optical constants such as permittivity, permeability, impedance, and index of refraction. Armed with new nanofabrication techniques, researchers worldwide have developed and demonstrated a variety of NIMs. One implementation uses a combination of electric and magnetic resonators that simultaneously produce negative permittivity and permeability, and consequently negative refractive index. Others involve chirality, anisotropy, or Bragg resonance in periodic structures. NIM research is the beginning of new optical materials research in which the desired optical properties and functionalities are artificially generated. Clearly, creating negative index materials is not the only possibility, and the most recent developments explore new realms of materials with near-zero indexes and inhomogeneous index profiles that can produce novel phenomena such as invisibility. Furthermore, the concept of controlling macroscopic material properties with a composite structure containing subwavelength-scale features extends to the development of acoustic metamaterials. By providing a review of recent progress in NIM research, we hope to share the excitement of the field with the broader materials research community and also to spur new ideas and research directions.

Artificially engineered metamaterials have emerged with properties and functionalities previously unattainable in natural materials. The scientific breakthroughs made in this new class of electromagnetic materials are closely linked with progress in developing physics-driven design and novel parallel fabrication methods. For example, a smooth superlens has been demonstrated with 30-nm imaging resolution, or 1/12 of the corresponding wavelength, far below the diffraction limit. Similarly, a photoswitchable optical negative-index material has been printed, showing a remarkable tuning range of refractive index in the communication wavelength. New frontiers are being explored as intrinsic limitations challenge the scaling of microwave metamaterial designs to optical frequencies. These novel metamaterials promise an entire new generation of passive and active optical elements, such as paper-thin superlenses and modulators.

A new class of artificially structured materials called metamaterials makes it possible to achieve electromagnetic properties that do not exist in nature. In this article, we review the recent progress made in the area of optical metamaterials, specifically artificial magnetism and negative-index metamaterials. It was predicted that nanostructured metamaterials could provide magnetic responses and negative refractive indexes at optical frequencies. To date, optical metamagnetics have been fabricated to demonstrate magnetic responses in the infrared range and across the entire visible spectrum. Metamaterials showing negative refractive indexes, also called negative-index materials (NIMs), have also been demonstrated in the infrared range and at the border with the visible spectral range. Additionally, we report the results of a sample that displays NIM behavior for red light at a wavelength of 710 nm and another sample that displays double-negative NIM behavior at 725 nm. Both observations represent the shortest wavelengths so far at which NIM behavior has been observed for light. We also discuss the fabrication challenges and the impact of fabrication limitations, specifically the effect of surface roughness of the fabricated structures, on the optical properties of the metamaterials.

Photonic crystals are multidimensional periodic gratings, in which the light propagation is dominated by Bragg diffraction that appears to be refraction at the flat surfaces of the crystals. The refraction angle from positive to negative, perfectly or only partially obeying Snell's law, can be tailored based on photonic band theory. Negative refraction enables novel prism, collimation, and lens effects. Because photonic crystals usually consist of two transparent media, these effects occur at absorption-free frequencies, affording significant design flexibility for free-space optics. The photonic-crystal slab, a high-index membrane with a two-dimensional airhole array, must be carefully designed to avoid unwanted reflection and diffraction. Light focusing based on negative refraction forms a parallel image of a light source, facilitating optical couplers and condenser lenses for wavelength demultiplexing. A compact wavelength demultiplexer can be designed by combining the prism and lens effects.

The field of engineered materials with designed properties is expected to continue to grow in the future, and metamaterials are instrumental in allowing this freedom of design. Metamaterials, particularly acoustic, are still in the stage of infancy. Acoustic metamaterials are being explored theoretically, but there has been little headway on the experimental front. The design, development, and characterization of acoustic metamaterials will offer many opportunities in materials science. In this article, we review the basic physics of different kinds of acoustic periodic structures with special emphasis on locally resonant acoustic metamaterials. We first survey phononic crystals and then discuss localized resonances in intrinsic and inertial resonating structures of acoustic metamaterials. Finally, we present the ongoing efforts in realizing acoustic metamaterials with negative materials properties and discuss the implications of acoustic metamaterials.