Optical refraction in silver: Counterposition, negative phase velocity and orthogonal phase velocity

Complex behaviour associated with metamaterials can arise even in commonplace isotropic dielectric materials. We demonstrate how silver, for example, can support negative phase velocity and counterposition, but not negative refraction, at optical frequencies. The transition from positive to negative phase velocity is not accompanied by remarkable changes in the Abraham and Minkowski momentum densities. In particular, orthogonal phase velocity is associated with nonzero Abraham and Minkowski momentum densities.