Analytical formulation for the resonant frequency of split rings

O. Sydoruk, E. Tatartschuk, E. Shamonina, and L. Solymar

Citation: J. Appl. Phys. 105, 014903 (2009); doi: 10.1063/1.3056052

View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3056052
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 JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS 105, 014903 共2009兲

Analytical formulation for the resonant frequency of split rings

O. Sydoruk,1 E. Tatartschuk,1 E. Shamonina,1,a兲 and L. Solymar2
1
Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg,
D-91052 Erlangen, Germany
2
Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) Department, Optical and Semiconductor Devices Group,
Imperial College, London SW7 2BT, United Kingdom
共Received 11 November 2008; accepted 13 November 2008; published online 6 January 2009兲
A simple approximate expression is derived for the resonant frequency of a singly split single ring
that is among the first microwave resonators designed to be small relative to the wavelength. In
addition to the usual gap capacitance the concept of surface capacitance is introduced. The surface
capacitance is determined analytically by two different methods, first using analytical expressions
for the electric field of a split cylinder, and second by using conformal mapping. Taking two
practical examples the resonant frequency, found analytically, is shown to agree with that obtained
by numerical simulations. The model could be used for studies of the resonant properties of split
rings in the terahertz region. © 2009 American Institute of Physics. 关DOI: 10.1063/1.3056052兴

I. INTRODUCTION physics, and which is valid for a wide range of parameters.

Such an expression was obtained by Marques et al.12,17 for
Split rings, or rather split cylinders, were among the first the SRR. As seen in Fig. 1共b兲 there are two types of capaci-
microwave resonators designed to be small relative to the tances: the gap capacitance, and the inter-ring capacitance,
wavelength. They appeared in the cavity magnetron which divided into two parts by the gaps. The simple argument of
played such prominent role in Second World War radar 共see, Marques et al. was that these two capacitances in series rep-
e.g., Ref. 1兲. Split ring geometries were also used as sub- resent the total capacitance, C, and there is in addition an
wavelength magnetic resonators in studies of electron spin inductance, L, taken as the average inductance of the two
and nuclear magnetic resonance. The first one was probably rings. The resonant frequency is then simply given as
that of Hardy and Whitehead2 who introduced the term of
split-ring resonator 共SRR兲. These were followed by various
geometries 共see, e.g., Refs. 3 and 4兲. The recent upsurge of
1
interest in split rings in the field of metamaterials is due to f0 = . 共1兲
the realization that metamaterials comprising split rings may 2␲冑LC
have negative values of effective permeability.5,6 Negative This simple physical picture was further generalized by
permeability is closely related to the problems of negative Shamonin et al.14,15,22 who assumed, and showed it analyti-
refraction and perfect imaging.7,8 A number of split-ring- cally, that the two gap capacitances can be regarded as being
based geometries were studied in the metamaterial context, added in parallel to the inter-ring capacitance.
both theoretically and experimentally: among them single The question naturally arises whether the resonant fre-
rings 共SR兲,9–11 double rings,12–17 broadside coupled quency of the split ring of Fig. 1共a兲 can also be obtained by
rings,17,18 complementary split rings,19 and multiply split such simple analytic expressions. At present there are some
rings.10,20 Also due to progress in nanofabrication, split-ring simulations available 共see, e.g., Refs. 9 and 10兲, rigorous
based metamaterials in the terahertz band became a reality.21 formulations in terms of infinite series,11,23 and also an em-
Our main interest is in the SR, more precisely the singly pirical formula23 but no simple approximate expressions. The
split SR, shown in Fig. 1共a兲 but for making certain compari- main problem is to find the capacitance. The inductance of a
sons we shall show here 关Fig. 1共b兲兴 the doubly split double ring 共a small split makes little difference兲 may be obtained
ring where R is the inner radius, c is the inter-ring separation, from formulas in reference books 共see, e.g., Ref. 24兲 which
w is the thickness, g is the gap width, and h is the height. we shall take as
This is the resonator used in most metamaterial studies. It is
known by its acronym, SRR. For the ring of Fig. 1共a兲 we
shall use the acronym SR. w c w
The most important property of any resonator is its reso-
nant frequency. Nowadays that could be obtained by one of h R h R
the numerical packages available. Nevertheless it still mat-
ters if one can have an approximate analytical expression for g g
the resonant frequency, based on the understanding of the
(a) (b)
a兲
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: FIG. 1. Subwavelength resonators for magnetic metamaterials: the singly
ekaterina.shamonina@aot.uni-erlangen.de. split SR 共a兲 and the doubly split double ring 共SRR兲 共b兲.

0021-8979/2009/105共1兲/014903/4/$23.00 105, 014903-1 © 2009 American Institute of Physics

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014903-2 Sydoruk et al. J. Appl. Phys. 105, 014903 共2009兲

L = ␮0Rm log冉 8Rm 1

−
h+w 2
, 冊 共2兲 R
where Rm = R + w / 2 and ␮0 is the free-space permeability.
θ
At first glance, calculating the capacitance of the split
ring may also seem straightforward. We could argue that the
capacitance of the ring is due to the gap, which forms a
θg
parallel-plate capacitor. Its capacitance can be easy calcu-
lated. Following this assumption, the resonant frequency was
indeed derived in a number of studies concerned with appli-
cations of the split rings for detection of electron spin and FIG. 2. Top view of the singly split SR.
nuclear magnetic resonances.2–4 In those studies, however,

冕
the split rings were put inside a conducting shield, which is ␲
共p.u.h.兲 ␴共␪兲R
bound to influence the resonant frequency. The configuration Csurf = d␪ , 共5兲
with a SR inside a shield is similar to a different metamate- ␪g V共␪兲
rial element, the singly split double ring.14
On the other hand, for SRs used in magnetrons or in where ␴ is the surface charge, and V is the voltage between
metamaterial research the gap is not the sole source of ca- two symmetric points on the surface of the ring. The angles
pacitance. Quite obviously the charges on the ring’s surfaces ␪ and ␪g are defined in Fig. 2. Both the surface charge and
also play a role providing a surface capacitance. One of our the voltage can be obtained from the electric field. Long
aims in the present paper is to find an approximate analytic before split rings were suggested as subwavelength resona-
expression for that surface capacitance. We shall do that in tors, the problem of the electric field of the split cylinders
Sec. II using two different approaches, both of them for the appeared in plasma research. Allen and Segre25 found ana-
two-dimensional 共2D兲 case: first, from the analytical expres- lytically the electric field of an infinitely long conducting
sion available for the electric field,25 and second, relying on cylinder with an infinitesimal gap. Taking their expressions
conformal mapping. In Sec. III we shall compare the relative and assuming they are valid also for the split rings, we obtain
values of the gap capacitance and of the surface capacitance,
find the resonant frequencies of the SR, show results of nu- ␧ 0V 0 ␪ V0
␴= cot and V= 共␲ − ␪兲, 共6兲
merical simulations, and show further that in spite of the 2D ␲R 2 ␲
approach we can have very good approximations for rings of
moderate height. In Sec. IV, we draw conclusions and dis- where V0 is the voltage in the gap. Substituting Eq. 共6兲 into
cuss some possible applications of the results for SRs in the Eq. 共5兲 gives
terahertz range.
␪

冕 ␲ cot
II. CAPACITANCE 共p.u.h.兲 2
Csurf = ␧0 d␪ . 共7兲
The aim of this section is to obtain an analytical expres- ␪g ␲−␪
sion for the total capacitance, which consists of the gap and
surface capacitances. We shall take a known expression for This integral cannot be found analytically. We notice, how-
the parallel-plate capacitor of the gap that accounts for the ever, that for small ␪g, the value of cot共␪g / 2兲 is large enough
fringing fields. Then we derive an original expression for the to neglect ␪ in the denominator of Eq. 共7兲. Then

冕
surface capacitance. We further compare the contributions of ␲
the gap and surface capacitances to the total capacitance. 共p.u.h.兲 ␧0 ␪ 2␧0 4R
Csurf ⬇ cot d␪ = log . 共8兲
␲ ␪g 2 ␲ g
A. Gap capacitance
Here we took ␪g = g / 共2R兲, as follows from the geometry for
If the gap is narrow its capacitance can be written as
small gaps 共see Fig. 2兲. The total capacitance of the split ring
hw with the height h and the thickness w is
Cgap = ␧0 + C0 , 共3兲
g
共p.u.h.兲 2␧0共h + w兲 4R
where ␧0 is the free-space permittivity. The first term on the Csurf = 共h + w兲Csurf = log . 共9兲
␲ g
right-hand side is the usual expression for the parallel-plate
capacitor formed by the gap, and the second term is a cor- The same result can be obtained from a somewhat different
rection due to the fringing fields. Several expressions for C0 approach. In the vicinity of a small gap, R Ⰷ g, the split ring
can be found in literature;3,4 we shall take the following one will look like that shown in Fig. 3. The surfaces of the split
C0 = ␧0共h + w + g兲. 共4兲 ring can be presented by two planes along the x-axis. Assum-
ing the planes to be infinitely long and infinitely thin, the
problem is reduced to that of 2D electrostatics. The complex
B. Surface capacitance
electric field E共x , y兲 = Ex + iEy can be then found using con-
The surface capacitance per unit height is defined as formal mapping as26

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014903-3 Sydoruk et al. J. Appl. Phys. 105, 014903 共2009兲

y 0.75
E

0.5

C [pF]
+ + + - --
-g/2 g/2 x
(a)
0.25

FIG. 3. In the vicinity of a small gap, the split ring looks like two semi-
planes. The surface charge can be found using conformal mapping. 0 gap
1.5 surface

E=
2V0
g␲
1− 冋 冉 冊册
2z
g
2 −1/2
, 共10兲
1
total

C [pF]
where z = x + iy; i is the complex unity, and the bar means
complex conjugation. The electric field lines are ellipses as (b)
shown schematically in Fig. 3. The surface charge density is 0.5
proportional to the y-component of the electric field in the
plane x = 0
4␧0V0 1 0

冑冉 冊
␴= . 共11兲 0.01 0.03 0.1
g␲ 2y 2
−1 xlabel
g
FIG. 4. The surface capacitance contributes from 30% to 50% of the total
The linear charge density is then capacitance and, hence, cannot be neglected. Shown are the capacitances for

冕 冕冑
⬁ ⬁ two split rings with 共a兲 h = 5 mm and 共b兲 h = 10 mm. For both, R
2␧0V0 dy = 10 mm, w = 1 mm.
␭= ␴dy = . 共12兲
g/2 ␲ 1 y2 − 1
widens, the gap capacitance decreases faster than the surface
This integral does not converge at infinity; its upper limit
capacitance. For wide gaps, both capacitances contribute ap-
should be changed to a large but finite number. Since we
proximately the same amount. We conclude that, in the con-
assumed that R Ⰷ g, it is natural to take R / g as the upper
figurations studied, the surface capacitance cannot be ne-
limit
glected.
␭⬇
2␧0V0
␲
冕 1
R/g

冑y
dy
2
−1
=
2␧0V0 4R
␲
log .
g
共13兲
III. RESONANT FREQUENCY: COMPARISON WITH
SIMULATIONS
The total charge, q, is found by multiplying ␭ by h + w. The
surface capacitance is then Having determined the total capacitance, we can find
q 2␧0共h + w兲 4R analytically the resonant frequency of split rings. We com-
Csurf = = log , 共14兲 pared the predictions of the analytical model to numerical
V0 ␲ g
simulations. The simulations were done in CST MICROWAVE
which coincides with Eq. 共9兲. STUDIO. The parameters of the rings were as defined in Sec.
II. The material was copper. The resonant frequency was
determined for eleven values of the gap width from 0.1 to 1
C. Total capacitance
mm.
The total capacitance is obviously the sum of the gap The results of the analytical and numerical calculations
and surface capacitances for the resonant frequency are shown in Fig. 5 共solid lines
and circles, respectively兲. Also shown for comparison is the
Ctotal = Cgap + Csurf . 共15兲
analytical calculation disregarding the surface capacitance
The question arises whether the surface capacitance con- 共dashed lines兲. Obviously taking surface capacitance into ac-
tributes much to the total capacitance or presents a negligible count results gives a very good agreement with the numerical
fraction. Figures 4共a兲 and 4共b兲 show how the gap, surface, results. It is better for h = 10 mm 关Fig. 5共b兲兴 than for h
and total capacitances depend on the gap width for two split = 5 mm 关Fig. 5共a兲兴, presumably because the higher ring is
rings with different heights. For the split ring of Fig. 4共a兲, we closer to the ideal 2D geometry we considered. As can be
took h = 5 mm, and for that of Fig. 4共b兲, h = 10 mm. For expected, the agreement is somewhat worse for wider gaps.
both rings, R = 10 mm, w = 1 mm. These geometrical param- Similarly good agreement was obtained for different values
eters are close to those of a recent experimental study.9 of the thickness, w.
If the gap is narrow, the gap capacitance dominates, but For w = 1 mm, the agreement deteriorates as the height
not enough to neglect the surface capacitance. As the gap decreases. Rings with smaller heights have shorter resonant

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014903-4 Sydoruk et al. J. Appl. Phys. 105, 014903 共2009兲

3 lation may lead to better agreement between the analytical

and numerical or experimental results for SRs at higher fre-
2.5 quencies.
f0 [GHz] ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
2 (a) The authors thank S. E. Segre for a discussion on Ref.
25. O.S., E.T., and E.S. gratefully acknowledge funding of
the Emmy Noether-Programme and SAOT by the German
1.5
Research Foundation.
1
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New York, 2005兲, Chap. 2, pp. 19–52.

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共dashed line兲 fails clearly. The geometry of the rings is as in Fig. 4. B. Sauviac, C. R. Simovski, and S. A. Tretyakov, Electromagnetics 24,
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M. Shamonin, E. Shamonina, V. A. Kalinin, and L. Solymar, J. Appl.
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