Experimental investigation of reflection characteristics of left-handed metamaterials in free space

The transmission and reflection characteristics are presented of a one-dimensional (1D) left-handed metamaterial (LHM) and its constituents, split ring resonator and thin wire arrays. A well-defined left-handed transmission band with a peak value of - 7.2 dB is obtained at frequencies where effective permittivity and permeability are both negative. A sharp dip (-34.5 dB) at the reflection spectrum of 1D ordered LHM is observed. The frequency of ultra-low reflection did not change considerably for another LHM with a different thickness, meaning that the low reflection is not because of the thickness resonance but rather the impedance-matching of LHM at the surface. Disorder in LHM structures is shown to affect the reflection characteristics.