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Critique of optical negative refraction superlensing

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Christou, George and Mias, Christos. (2011) Critique of optical negative refraction superlensing. Plasmonics, Vol.6 (No.2). pp. 307-309. ISSN 1557-1955

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11468-011-9205-8

Abstract

Has the ten-year old quest for the optical superlens, based on Veselago’s hypothesis of negative refraction, been a chimera? We argue that Pendry’s alternative prescription of the silver superlens is nothing more than an application of the natural phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance that occurs in the noble metal films. This phenomenon does not predict the reality of Veselago’s negative refractive index materials. We give a simple explanation of how this resonance achieves a field intensity enhancement at the interface of silver and air without involving the concept of negative refraction.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Engineering
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Negative refraction, Lenses
Journal or Publication Title:	Plasmonics
Publisher:	Springer
ISSN:	1557-1955
Date:	June 2011
Volume:	Vol.6
Number:	No.2
Number of Pages:	3
Page Range:	pp. 307-309
Identification Number:	10.1007/s11468-011-9205-8
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
References:	[1] Pendry JB (2001) Electromagnetic materials enter the negative age. Physics World 14(9):47-51 [2] Pendry JB, Smith DR (2004) Reversing light with negative refraction. Physics Today 57(6):37-43 [3] Veselago VG (1968) Electrodynamics of substances with simultaneously negative electrical and magnetic permeabilities. Sov Phys USPEKHI 10(4):509-514 [4] Pendry JB (2000) Negative refraction makes a perfect lens. Physical Review Letters 85(18):3966-3969 [5] Smith DR, Pendry JB (2006) The quest for the superlens. Scientific American 295(1):60-67 [6] Merville D, Blaikie R (2005) Surface resolution imaging through a planar silver layer. Optical Express 13:2127-2134 [7] Fang N, Lee H, Sun C, Zhang X (2005) Sub-diffraction-limited optical imaging with a silver superlens. Science 308:534-537 [8] Raether H (1988) Surface plasmons on smooth and rough surfaces and on gratings. Springer-Verlag, Berlin [9] Homola J, Yee SS, Gauglitz G (1999) Surface plasmon resonance sensors: review. Sensors and Actuators B 54(1-2):3-15 [10] Barnes WL, Dereux A, Ebbesen TW (2003) Surface plasmon subwavelength optics. Nature 424(6950):824-830
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/40482