Metamaterials and Metasurfaces: Physics and Engineering Applications

Abstract

Metamaterials and metasurfaces are engineered structures that exhibit extraordinary electromagnetic properties not found in natural materials. By manipulating subwavelength structures, these materials enable control over wave propagation, phase, amplitude, and polarization, leading to applications in optics, telecommunications, sensing, and imaging. This review discusses the fundamental physics underlying metamaterials and metasurfaces, including negative refractive index, cloaking, and epsilon-near-zero behavior. A detailed survey of design methodologies, fabrication techniques, and computational modeling approaches is provided. Comparative analysis highlights the strengths and limitations of different metastructure designs. Emerging applications in photonics, wireless communication, energy harvesting, and quantum technologies are examined. Future trends include tunable and active metamaterials, multifunctional metasurfaces, and AI-assisted design frameworks.