Reference-Plane-Invariant Effective Thickness and Electromagnetic Property Determination of Isotropic Metamaterials Involving Boundary Effects

It is well recognized that near-field effects become dominant when the metamaterial (MM) is in resonance. In addition, any inaccurate information of the location of reference planes, and the effective length can seriously affect the accuracy of retrieved electromagnetic properties of MMs. By considering all these issues, in this research paper, we propose a retrieval method for reference-plane invariant and thickness-independent determination of electromagnetic parameters of MM slabs involving boundary effects. Our method first accomplishes determination of effective length of MMs and calibration-plane factors using scattering parameter measurements, aside the resonance region, of two identical MMs with different lengths. Our method then incorporates near-field effects in accurate retrieval of electromagnetic properties of MMs. The method is verified by scattering parameters simulated for a homogeneous conventional material and a weakly or negligibly coupled inhomogeneous MM slab made by two metallic concentric split-ring-resonators. Consequences of an inaccurate information of reference-plane transformation factors and the value of effective lengths and of noninclusion of near field effects on the retrieved electromagnetic properties are thoroughly discussed by way of few examples to substantiate the accuracy of the proposed method.