Negative refraction at the interface between two media occurs as a natural consequence of wave group velocity being negative in one of the media. In this review the historical origins of this understanding are briefly described. A number of systems supporting normal electromagnetic waves (polaritons) with negative group velocity at optical frequencies are analyzed by including spatial dispersion and making use of the generalized dielectric tensor ε_ij(ω, k), which determines the response of a medium to an electromagnetic wave of frequency ω and wave vector k. Negative group velocity polaritons occur when the medium (whether a natural one or an artificial meta-material) has a sufficiently strong spatial dispersion. Examples of bulk waves and surface waves are given both for chiral and nonchiral systems. The relationship between the ε_ij(ω, k) approach and the more common but less comprehensive description using the dielectric permittivity ε(ω) and magnetic permeability μ(ω) is discussed.

PACS: 42.25-p, 71.36+c, 78.20.Ci DOI: 10.1070/PU2006v049n10ABEH006067 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2006/10/c/ 000244185100003 2-s2.0-33847051663 2006PhyU...49.1029A Citation: Agranovich V M, Gartstein Yu N "Spatial dispersion and negative refraction of light" Phys. Usp. 49 1029–1044 (2006) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Оригинал: Агранович В М, Гартштейн Ю Н «Пространственная дисперсия и отрицательное преломление света» УФН 176 1051–1068 (2006); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0176.200610c.1051