On the physical origins of the negative index of refraction

The physical origins of negative refractive index are derived from a dilute microscopic model, producing a result that is generalized to the dense condensed phase limit. In particular, scattering from a thin sheet of electric and magnetic dipoles driven above resonance is used to form a fundamental description for negative refraction. Of practical significance, loss and dispersion are implicit in the microscopic model. While naturally occurring negative index materials are unavailable, ferromagnetic and ferroelectric materials provide device design opportunities.