Negative refractive index of layered nonmagnetic/magnetic composites

We investigate the possibility of preparing left-handed material in a layered alternated nonmagnetic/magnetic composite under different direction of incident electromagnetic wave at the microwave region. We calculate the effective refractive index of the layered composites and find that the effective refractive index varies as a function of the volume fraction of one component of the composite. Especially, within the certain volume fraction of component 1 (or 2) the effective refractive index can be negative at a finite frequency region. Moreover, we find that the direction of the incident electromagnetic wave affects the effective refractive index greatly. When the incident electric field is parallel to the laminations and the magnetic field is perpendicular to the laminations, the volume fraction of component 1 (or 2) range, which causes the effective refractive index to be negative, is relatively wider than that of the opposite case, but the absolute values of the negative refractive index are smaller than that of the opposite case.