Optimization design of electromagnetic nihility nanoparticles

Nihility material is a medium whose relative permittivity and permeability tend to zero simultaneously. In this work, comparing with the scattering properties of perfect nihility nanoparticles (made from nihility material), we provide an optimization design of electromagnetic nihility nanoparticles, which is a coated hybrid nanosphere constituted by commutative ε-negative (ENG) and μ-negative (MNG) media. Compared to a single ENG or MNG nanosphere, it is found that the total and back scattering spectra of coated hybrid nanospheres are much closer to those of perfect nihility nanospheres. Moreover, it is observed that the scattered electromagnetic field distribution of coated hybrid nanospheres is identical to that of perfect nihility nanospheres. These results indicate that the combination of commutative ENG and MNG media can constitute a composite structure which gives the closest approximation of electromagnetic scattering of perfect nihility nanospheres in a wide frequency range. (authors)