Questions of perfect lenses by left handed materials

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical properties of perfect lenses made from left-handed materials, analyzing transmission, reflection, and limitations, highlighting the impact of material absorption on lens quality.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the transmission and reflection coefficients of left-handed material slabs using transfer matrix methods and explores limitations due to absorption.

Findings

Absorption significantly affects lens quality

Transmission and reflection coefficients are derived analytically

Limitations on superlenses are identified

Abstract

We consider questions about the much discussed "perfect lenses" made by left handed materials. The transmission and reflection from a slab of left handed materials are investigated and the coefficients are obtained by the standard transfer matrix method. Possible limitations on such superlenses are explored. It is shown that the quality of the lenses can be significantly affected by the absorption that is necessarily present in the materials.