Tunneling times in bianisotropic, dispersive and absorptive metamaterials

Abstract

Tunneling times in complex bianisotropic materials have been examined in detail, with absorption and dispersion taken into account. Tunneling is characterized by the dwell and the phase tunneling time. In this paper, we have developed a theoretical model and derived the appropriate expressions for each of these quantities, as well as a relationship between them and the corresponding expression for the energy density. The model has been verified through numerical calculations based on experimental data. We have distinguished cases in which the phases of transmitted and incident wave match each other, and showed that for small angles of incidence, the time that the wave spends inside the barrier can be approximated as a linear function of the barrier width. The Hartman effect has been detected, although for very thick layers of metamaterial.