Fabrication and characterization of metamaterials at optical frequencies

The dendritic silver nano-cell is designed as “meta-atom” to fabricate optical metamaterials. Silver dendrite was prepared using poly(amidoamine) as protective agent, and then assembled on glass substrate by nano-assembly process and further fabricated into sandwich-like metamaterials with indium–tin–oxides (ITO) glass. Morphology of the dendrites array was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The optical measurements indicate that the metamaterials exhibit pass-bands and slab focusing effect at optical frequencies 530 nm and 630 nm, respectively. This method might be used effectively in producing metamaterials at optical frequencies.