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The influence of dielectrics on the hybridization of a twisted pair of split-ring resonators (SRRs), or stereometamaterials, is investigated in this article. It is found that when the permittivity of the layer between the two SRRs is higher than that of free space, the electric dipole-dipole interaction plays a dominant role in determining the modes of resonance. On the contrary, for the case of a free-space intermediate layer, the resonance modes are mainly determined by the magnetic dipolar interaction. No mode crossing occurs in the latter case, as opposed to the former. A Lagrangian formalism can be used to characterize the interplay between the magnetic and electric couplings. The results suggest an additional degree of freedom to control the behavior of this fundamental metamaterial element.

stereometamaterials; hybridization; dipole interactions