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Left-Handed Materials Do Not Make a Perfect Lens

N. Garcia and M. Nieto-Vesperinas
Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 207403 – Published 3 May 2002; Erratum Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 229903 (2003)
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Abstract

By means of an analysis on evanescent waves in left-handed materials (LHM), we show that within a slab of such a medium, sandwiched between two positive refraction media, there is amplification of evanescent waves in ideal lossless, dispersiveless media; however, contrary to previous claims, this is limited to a finite width of the slab so that it prevents their restoration and perfect focusing. We illustrate this by considering their coupling to propagating waves through a tunnel barrier containing a slab of LHM. Further, we show that the effect of absorption, necessarily present in such materials, may drastically change any evanescent amplifying wave into a decaying one.

  • Received 16 November 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.207403

©2002 American Physical Society

Erratum

Authors & Affiliations

N. Garcia1,* and M. Nieto-Vesperinas2,†

  • 1Laboratorio de Fisica de sistemas Pequeños, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Serrano 144, Madrid 28006, Spain
  • 2Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain

  • *Email address: nicolas.garcia@fsp.csic.es
  • Corresponding author. Email address: mnieto@icmm.csic.es

Comments & Replies

Comment on “Left-Handed Materials Do Not Make a Perfect Lens”

J. B. Pendry
Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 099701 (2003)

See Also

Nieto-Vesperinas and Garcia Reply:

M. Nieto-Vesperinas and N. Garcia
Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 099702 (2003)

Left-Handed Materials Debate Heats Up

JR Minkel
Phys. Rev. Focus 9, 23 (2002)

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Vol. 88, Iss. 20 — 20 May 2002

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