3 ms·
A usefull word for defining metameterials, at least in the field of electromagnetic metamaterials is "mesoscopic". Perhaps we need a generalization of this term
by smaddox 5y ago
A usefull word for defining metameterials, at least in the field of electromagnetic metamaterials is "mesoscopic". Perhaps we need a generalization of this term to arbitrary length scales.
Electromagnetic metameterials are composed of nanometer-scale structures that alter the angstrom-scale (i.e. atom-scale) behavior of pure materials. These are often described as mesoscopic structures---structures that span the length scales between atoms and traditional fabrication scales.
Some great examples from nature include Beatle carapaces and the pads of gecko feet.
- kragen 5y agoThose are excellent examples, though there's some debate about whether iridescence and rugate filters and stuff like that are "metamaterials". I think it's partly a question of wanting metamaterials to be "new and hot", which the Beatles are not, however melodic their carapaces. You can get macroscopically-structured electromagnetic metamaterials, though; some are pictured on the Wikipedia page. It's just that they're active at microwave wavelengths or longer instead of visible wavelengths.