CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

We present a very efficient recursive method to calculate theeffective optical response of nanostructured metamaterialsmade up of particles with arbitrarily shaped cross sectionsarranged in periodic two-dimensional arrays. We considerdielectric particles embedded in a metal matrix with a latticeconstant much smaller than the wavelength. Neglectingretardation our formalism allows factoring the geometricalproperties from the properties of the materials. If the conductingphase is continuous the low frequency behavior is metallic. Ifthe conducting paths are nearly bloqued by the dielectricparticles, the high frequency behavior is dielectric. Thus,extraordinary-reflectance bands may develop at intermediatefrequencies, where the macroscopic response matches vacuum.The optical properties of these systems may be tuned byadjusting the geometry. Sketch of a nanostructured metamaterial slab with a dielectriclike or metallic-like behavior depending on the frequency of the incoming light.