Super-resolution in high contrast media

TL;DR

This paper develops a mathematical theory explaining how high contrast media achieve super-resolution and super-focusing through resonant modes, enabling sub-wavelength details to be observed in the far-field.

Contribution

It introduces a resonance expansion approach of the Green function to explain super-resolution phenomena in high contrast media, a novel theoretical insight.

Findings

Super-resolution is caused by sub-wavelength resonant modes.

Resonant modes can propagate into the far-field.

The theory links resonance phenomena to super-resolution capabilities.

Abstract

A mathematical theory is developed to explain the super-resolution and super-focusing in high contrast media. The approach is based on the resonance expansion of the Green function associated with the medium. It is shown that the super-resolution is due to sub-wavelength resonant modes excited in the medium which can propagate into the far-field.