LITMIR.BIZ

Many physical properties of our universe, such as the relative strength of the fundamental interactions, the value of the cosmological constant, etc., appear to be fine-tuned for existence of human life. One possible explanation of this fine tuning assumes existence of a multiverse, which consists of a very large number of individual universes having different physical properties. Intelligent observers populate only a small subset of these universes, which are fine-tuned for life. In this book we will review several interesting metamaterial systems, which capture many features of important cosmological models and offer insights into the physics of many other non-trivial spacetime geometries, such as microscopic black holes, closed time-like curves (CTCs) and the Alcubierre warp drive.

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Hyperbolic metamaterials were originally introduced to overcome the diffraction limit of optical imaging. Soon thereafter it was realized that hyperbolic metamaterials demonstrate a number of novel phenomena resulting from the broadband singular behavior of their density of photonic states. These novel phenomena and applications include super resolution imaging, new stealth technologies, enhanced quantum-electrodynamic effects, thermal hyperconductivity, superconductivity, and interesting gravitation theory analogs. Here I review typical material systems, which exhibit hyperbolic behavior and outline important new applications of hyperbolic metamaterials, such as imaging experiments with plasmonic hyperbolic metamaterials and novel VCSEL geometries, in which the Bragg mirrors may be engineered in such a way that they exhibit hyperbolic properties in the long wavelength infrared range, so that they may be used to efficiently remove excess heat from the laser cavity. I will also discuss potential applications of self-assembled photonic hypercrystals. This system bypasses 3D nanofabrication issues, which typically limit hyperbolic metamaterial applications. Photonic hypercrystals combine the most interesting features of hyperbolic metamaterials and photonic crystals.

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