Double-resonant optical materials with embedded metal nanostructures

We derive equations modeling the resonant interaction of electric and magnetic components of light fields with metal nanostructures. This paired resonance was recently shown to produce negative refractive index. The model equations are a generalization of the well-known Maxwell–Lorentz model. We demonstrate that in the case of nonlinear polarization and linear magnetization, these equations are equivalent to a system of equations describing the resonant interaction of light with plasmonic oscillations in metal nanospheres. A family of solitary wave solutions is found that is similar to pulses associated with self-induced transparency in the framework of the Maxwell–Bloch model. The evolution of incident optical pulses is studied numerically, as are the collision dynamics of the solitary waves. These simulations reveal that the collision dynamics vary from near perfectly elastic to highly radiative, depending on the relative phase of the initial pulses. © 2006 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 190.4400, 260.5740, 250.5530.