Abstract: In recent years, electromagnetic metamaterial has attracted wide attention in many fields since it has special characteristics that natural medium does not possess. Zero refractive index metamaterial(ZRIM) is a material with zero permittivity and zero permeability. It has many unique features in the field of optics, such as wavelength stretching, phase consistency and tunnel effect. Several typical ZRIM structures and the properties implemented in the ZRIM structure were introduced, such as infinite wavelength, uniform field distribution, and so on. The important applications of ZRIM structure in physical optics were discussed, for example, directional emission, emission enhancement, boundary state analysis and light capture. The study on the properties and characteristics of ZRIM provides reference and guidance for the development of new devices and the basic research of new optical elements.