Super-resolution imaging by one-dimensional, microwave left-handed metamaterials with an effective negative index

Superlenses based on metamaterials are promising candidates for achieving subwavelength resolution. We report here our experimental studies on super-resolution imaging from one-dimensional (1D) negative index metamaterial superlenses at microwave frequencies. The metamaterial structure under investigation is shown to have a left-handed transmission band at frequencies where both effective permittivity and permeability are negative. The retrieved effective parameters are in good agreement with the measurements. We achieved a resolution of 0.2λ by imaging a single point source from a 1D superlens. Moreover, the effect of the superlens' thickness on the resolution is studied. A thicker superlens suffers from more losses, which in turn reduces the resolution. Two point sources that were separated by distances that were smaller than a half-wavelength were successfully resolved with the negative index superlens. © IOP Publishing Ltd