I have designed a working FDTD code to simulate electromagnetic wave propagation using Yee's algorithm. I have been able to place materials such as glass slabs, etc which have positive and real refractive indices and then look at the waves as they pass through the materials.
In an attempt to include materials with complex refractive indices, negative refractive indices (objects like metamaterials, gain materials, lossy materials, etc.), I am thinking of taking the existing code and making the variables of permittivity, permeability, electric field and magnetic field of complex type rather than double type in order to run my simulations.
Is this approach valid? Is it absolutely necessary to implement frequency dependent response for such objects? For example, if I want to simulate a left-handed metamaterial, can I do so using the method I mentioned?
