Resonance linewidth and inhomogeneous broadening in a metamaterial array

We examine the effect of inhomogeneous broadening on the collective response of a planar metamaterial consisting of asymmetric split-ring resonators. We show that such a response leads to a transmission resonance that can persist when the broadening of individual meta-atom resonance frequencies is roughly one-half the frequency characterizing the split-ring asymmetry. We also find that larger degrees of inhomogeneous broadening can drastically alter the cooperative response, destroying this resonance. The reduced effect of cooperative response due to inhomogeneous broadening may find applications in producing metamaterial samples that more closely mimic homogeneous magnetodielectric medium with well-defined susceptibility and permittivity.