Nanoscale super-resolution imaging via a metal–dielectric metamaterial lens system

• Published in: Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Applied physics, 2011-10, Vol.44 (41), p.415101-1-7
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yanhui, Nawaz, Ahmad Ahsan, Lin, Sz-Chin Steven, Hao, Qingzhen, Kiraly, Brian, Huang, Tony Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Imaging; Imaging and optical processing; Lenses; Lenses, prisms, and mirrors; Mathematical analysis; Metamaterials; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Optical elements, devices, and systems; Optical materials; Optics; Photonic bandgap materials; Physics
• ISSN: 0022-3727; 1361-6463
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/44/41/415101

We have proposed a method for super-resolution imaging using an interlayer cascaded structure comprising two metamaterial lenses. The metamaterial lenses are designed using the effective medium theory. The lens structures consist of two different planar dielectric films alternated with similar thin metallic films, making a diverging and converging lens. With this two-lens system, an image is formed at the output surface of the lens with subwavelength resolution. We have shown, through numerical simulations and an analytical approach, that an image with resolution nine times smaller than the light wavelength (365 nm) is achievable with this metamaterial lens system. The loss during transmission through the lens system is smaller compared with the hyperlens configuration with a similar design.