Metamaterials: The Art in Materials Science

Composed of natural materials but constructed using artificial structures through ingenious design, metamaterials possess properties beyond nature. Unlike traditional materials studies, metamaterials research requires great human creativity in order to realize the desired properties and thereby the required functionalities through design. Such properties and functionalities are not necessarily available in nature, and their design can break through the existing materials ideology. This paper reviews progress in metamaterials research over the past 20 years in terms of the materials innovations that have achieved the designation of “meta.” In particular, we discuss future trends in metamaterials in the fields of both fundamental science and engineering.