scott wrote:
>> This time, the URL really *does* say it all!
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_refractive_index
>>
>> Mmm, I wonder if POV-Ray can do this?
> 
> Wow that's something to think about.  It was only a few years ago I 
> learned that the refractive index is actually a complex number, useful 
> when working with things like polarisers and (liquid) crystals that do 
> funky things to the light.

Yeah, freaky isn't it?

(IIRC, the imaginary part of the complex number you speak of is just the 
amount of absorption in the material, but yeah... it's derived from the 
electronic permitivity and permeability or something. I find it rather 
bizare that electronic properties should actually affect optical ones, 
but there we are.)

BTW, did you know that there exist materials with an IOR even higher 
than diamond? And there exist materials with a (positive) IOR < 1?

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