Near-field effect in composite nanomaterials with a quasi-zero refractive index

We show that the supertransparent composite nanomaterial with silver nanoparticles may achieve quasi-zero and zero values of the refractive index and the absorption coefficient in a wide wavelength range from 450 nm to 1100 nm. We obtain a formula for the complex refractive index of the nanomaterial with regard to the structure factor. We present the experimental spectra of the reflectance and the transmittance of collimated light in thin films of polymer on glass or polymer with silver nanoparticles. We calculate the refractive index of a composite material using these spectra, and we show that the addition of the silver nanoparticles into the polymer matrix enhances optical transmission of composite nanomaterial. We consider the optical properties of the reflection of light in the nanocomposite layer with the quasi-zero refractive index.