Experimental realization of magnetic energy concentration and transmission at a distance by metamaterials

Concentrating magnetic energy in a desired volume is an important requirement for many technologies. Here, we experimentally realize a superconductor-ferromagnetic metamaterial that allows to concentrate the magnetostatic energy in its interior and in other situations to amplify the energy in its exterior. We show that surrounding two distant current loops with two such metamaterials enhance the magnetostatic coupling between them. We also demonstrate that a ferromagnetic-only metamaterial, without superconducting parts, achieves these properties with only a slight decrease in performance. Results may be applied to increase the sensitivity of magnetic sensors or for enhancing wireless power transmission, where efficiency depends critically on the magnetic coupling strength between source and receiver. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.