superlens

A superlens is a type of lens made from a metamaterial that can achieve imaging resolution beyond the diffraction limit of conventional optical microscopes. Unlike traditional lenses that refract light, superlenses can amplify evanescent waves, which carry fine details of an object. This capability allows them to overcome the limitations of conventional optics, enabling the imaging of structures smaller than the wavelength of light.1

The concept of a superlens is rooted in the properties of metamaterials, which are artificially structured materials with electromagnetic properties not found in nature. By manipulating the internal structure of these materials, engineers can control how light propagates through them, leading to phenomena like negative refraction. This negative refraction, when combined with the ability to amplify evanescent waves, is what gives superlenses their extraordinary imaging capabilities. Superlenses have been demonstrated at both microwave and optical wavelengths, showing resolutions significantly better than the diffraction limit.1