Bianisotropic materials optimized for strong interactions with electromagnetic fields

In this report we discuss the new concept of “optimal metamaterials” for interactions with electromagnetic waves. In these materials the inclusion shape is chosen so that the particles have the maximum possible energy in the field of a given plane electromagnetic wave propagating or decaying inside the composite medium composed of these particles. It appears that the optimal particles are bianisotropic, and the “optimal material” for interactions with plane linearly polarized evanescent waves is the omega material, while for propagating waves it is a certain nonreciprocal material.