Introduction
The field of metamaterials—engineered structures that manipulate electromagnetic waves in ways not found in nature—has driven a rapid expansion of scientific inquiry since the early 2000s. Researchers across physics, electrical engineering, materials science, and optics have sought venues to disseminate breakthroughs ranging from negative‑index media to cloaking devices. One such venue was Metamaterials, a dedicated scholarly journal that operated for six years, providing a focused platform for peer‑reviewed research on artificial electromagnetic materials.
Although the journal ceased publication in 2013, its existence marked an important moment in the maturation of metamaterial science, offering a centralized outlet for work on composite periodic structures, frequency‑selective surfaces, and related microwave and optical phenomena. This article presents an in‑depth examination of the journal’s origins, editorial framework, thematic scope, indexing status, and legacy within the broader scientific ecosystem. The discussion draws exclusively from the documented facts about the journal while situating those facts within the larger context of metamaterials research.
1. Historical Overview
1.1 Founding and Publication Timeline
- Establishment: Metamaterials was launched in March 2007, a period when metamaterial concepts were transitioning from theoretical proposals to experimental demonstrations.
- Frequency: The journal adhered to a quarterly publication schedule, delivering four issues per calendar year.
- Discontinuation: After six years of operation, the journal was discontinued in 2013.
These dates bracket a pivotal era for metamaterials, during which foundational studies on negative refractive index, superlensing, and transformation optics were emerging. By providing a regular, peer‑reviewed outlet, the journal helped to consolidate scattered findings into a coherent scholarly record.
1.2 Publisher and Editorial Leadership
- Publisher: The journal was published by Elsevier, a major international academic publisher known for a broad portfolio of scientific periodicals.
- Founding Editor‑in‑Chief: Mikhail Lapine, a professor at the Helsinki University of Technology (now part of Aalto University), served as the inaugural editor‑in‑chief. Lapine’s own research on electromagnetic metamaterials and photonic crystals positioned him as a natural steward for the journal’s scientific direction.
The combination of Elsevier’s publishing infrastructure and Lapine’s subject‑matter expertise contributed to the journal’s ability to attract high‑quality submissions and maintain rigorous peer‑review standards.
2. Scope and Content
2.1 Core Research Areas
Metamaterials was explicitly devoted to research concerning metamaterials, with a particular emphasis on artificial electromagnetic materials. The journal’s scope encompassed:
- Composite periodic structures: Engineered lattices whose unit cells repeat in space, giving rise to effective medium properties distinct from their constituent materials.
- Frequency‑selective surfaces (FSS): Planar arrays designed to filter or reflect specific frequency bands, commonly employed in microwave engineering and antenna design.
- Microwave and optical ranges: Studies covering the full spectrum from radio‑frequency microwaves through visible and near‑infrared light, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of metamaterial applications.
By covering both the theoretical foundations (e.g., homogenization techniques, band‑structure calculations) and experimental implementations (e.g., fabrication of split‑ring resonators, dielectric metasurfaces), the journal served as a bridge between abstract modeling and practical device engineering.
2.2 Special Issues
While the journal primarily released regular quarterly issues, it occasionally published special issues dedicated to emerging sub‑fields or conference proceedings. These thematic collections allowed the community to highlight concentrated advances—such as breakthroughs in transformation optics or novel fabrication methods—within a single, curated volume.
2.3 Types of Articles
Although the source does not enumerate article categories, standard practice for a peer‑reviewed scientific journal of this nature includes:
- Original research papers presenting new experimental data, theoretical models, or computational simulations.
- Review articles synthesizing recent progress and outlining future directions.
- Short communications for rapid dissemination of time‑sensitive results.
These formats collectively facilitated both depth and breadth in the coverage of metamaterial science.
3. Publication Model and Indexing
3.1 Peer‑Review Process
As a quarterly peer‑reviewed journal, each manuscript submitted to Metamaterials underwent evaluation by experts in the relevant sub‑discipline. The peer‑review process ensured methodological rigor, reproducibility, and relevance to the journal’s focus on artificial electromagnetic materials.
3.2 Abstracting and Indexing
The journal was abstracted and indexed in Scopus, one of the largest citation databases for peer‑reviewed literature. Inclusion in Scopus signaled that the journal met established criteria for scholarly quality, visibility, and citation tracking. Researchers worldwide could therefore discover and cite articles from Metamaterials through a widely used bibliographic platform.
4. Why the Journal Mattered
4.1 A Dedicated Venue in a Growing Field
When Metamaterials began in 2007, the scientific community lacked a specialized periodical solely for metamaterial research. Existing journals—such as Physical Review B, Optics Express, or IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation—published metamaterial papers alongside broader topics, making it challenging for researchers to locate a consolidated body of work. By offering a single, focused outlet, the journal accelerated knowledge exchange, facilitated community building, and helped to define the field’s terminology and standards.
4.2 Encouraging Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Metamaterials sit at the intersection of physics, electrical engineering, materials science, and nanofabrication. The journal’s inclusive scope—spanning microwave to optical frequencies and covering both theoretical and experimental studies—encouraged cross‑disciplinary collaborations. For instance, a physicist modeling effective permittivity could find complementary experimental techniques described in the same issue by an engineering group, fostering synergistic advances.
4.3 Visibility Through Indexing
Being indexed in Scopus amplified the journal’s reach. Articles were discoverable through keyword searches, citation analyses, and institutional repositories. This visibility not only benefitted authors seeking recognition but also aided funding agencies and policymakers in tracking the evolution of metamaterial technologies.
4.4 Platform for Emerging Topics
The occasional special issues provided a rapid response mechanism to nascent sub‑fields. When a breakthrough—such as the first demonstration of a negative‑index lens—generated a surge of related submissions, a special issue could collate these contributions, establishing a reference point for subsequent research.
5. Legacy and Aftermath
5.1 Influence on Subsequent Publications
Although Metamaterials ceased in 2013, its archival content remains accessible through Elsevier’s digital libraries and Scopus records. Researchers continue to cite seminal papers from its six‑year run, especially those that introduced novel design paradigms for frequency‑selective surfaces or demonstrated new fabrication routes for optical‑frequency metamaterials.
5.2 Transition to Broader Journals
After discontinuation, authors seeking a dedicated outlet for metamaterial work migrated to broader journals that have since expanded their metamaterial sections—e.g., Advanced Materials, Nature Materials, and IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. The existence of Metamaterials demonstrated the viability of a specialized venue, prompting these larger publications to allocate dedicated editorial space for the discipline.
5.3 Archival Value for Historical Research
For historians of science and technology, the journal’s lifespan offers a compact window into the evolution of metamaterial research from 2007 to 2013. By examining editorial introductions, review articles, and special issue themes, scholars can trace how the community’s priorities shifted—from early demonstrations of negative refraction to more application‑driven studies such as sensing, imaging, and energy harvesting.
6. Contextual Connection to Apiary
Apiary’s mission centers on bee conservation and the development of self‑governing AI agents that support ecological stewardship. While Metamaterials focused on artificial electromagnetic materials and did not directly address pollinator health, the journal’s emphasis on advanced materials resonates with broader technological trends that can indirectly benefit Apiary’s goals. For example, metamaterial‑based sensors could enable precise monitoring of hive microclimates or pesticide residues. However, no documented link exists between the journal and Apiary’s specific initiatives; therefore, this article does not fabricate a connection.
7. Conclusion
Metamaterials occupied a unique niche in the scientific publishing landscape from 2007 to 2013, delivering a quarterly, peer‑reviewed platform for cutting‑edge research on artificial electromagnetic materials. Under the editorial guidance of Mikhail Lapine and the publishing expertise of Elsevier, the journal captured a formative period in metamaterial science, ranging from composite periodic structures to frequency‑selective surfaces across microwave and optical frequencies. Its inclusion in Scopus ensured global discoverability, while occasional special issues highlighted emerging sub‑fields.
Although the journal’s lifespan was brief, its contribution to consolidating a fragmented research community, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, and establishing a scholarly record for early metamaterial breakthroughs remains noteworthy. The archival articles continue to serve as reference points for contemporary researchers and historians alike, underscoring the lasting impact that a focused scientific journal can have—even after its formal discontinuation.
FAQ
**When was the journal Metamaterials first established? The journal was established in March 2007**.
**How frequently were issues of Metamaterials released? It was a quarterly** journal, publishing four issues each year.
Who served as the founding editor‑in‑chief of the journal? Mikhail Lapine, a professor at the Helsinki University of Technology, was the founding editor‑in‑chief.
What subjects fell within the journal’s scope? The journal covered research on metamaterials, specifically artificial electromagnetic materials such as composite periodic structures and frequency‑selective surfaces operating in the microwave and optical ranges.
**Is Metamaterials indexed in any major bibliographic database? Yes, it was abstracted and indexed in Scopus**.