Perfect lensing with phase conjugating surfaces: Towards practical realization

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical feasibility of creating a perfect lens using phase conjugating surfaces, analyzing the properties needed for practical realization and outlining potential experimental approaches.

Contribution

It demonstrates that ideal phase conjugating surfaces are physically realizable and identifies the properties of particles needed for constructing a perfect lens system.

Findings

Ideal phase conjugating surfaces are physically realizable.

Necessary properties of nonlinear and nonreciprocal particles are identified.

Directions for experimental realization are outlined.

Abstract

It is theoretically known that a pair of phase conjugating surfaces can function as a perfect lens, focusing propagating waves and enhancing evanescent waves. However, the known experimental approaches based on thin sheets of nonlinear materials cannot fully realize the required phase conjugation boundary condition. In this paper we show that the ideal phase conjugating surface is in principle physically realizable and investigate the necessary properties of nonlinear and nonreciprocal particles which can be used to build a perfect lens system. The physical principle of the lens operation is discussed in detail and directions of possible experimental realizations are outlined.