Broadband negative refractive index obtained by plasmonic hybridization in metamaterials

We experimentally demonstrate a broadband negative refractive index (NRI) behavior in combined dimer and fishnet dimer metamaterials operating in the GHz frequency range. The observations can be well explained by a hybridization model and are in agreement with numerical modelling results. Hybridization of the magnetic resonances is obtained by reducing the distance between the layers in the dimer structures. A ratio of the double negative refractive index bandwidth to operational frequency of approximately 10% was achieved in the fishnet dimer. The applicable frequency range of the broadband NRI was shown to scale with the size of the structures from the microwave to the far infrared.