Metamaterials and superresolution: From homogenization to rigorous approach

The paper touches upon the correspondence between the widely used homogenized approach and integral equation technique in simulating electromagnetic excitation of metamaterials. The attention is drawn to metamaterials with helix-type inclusions, their properties are briefly discussed. Special attention is paid to the thin metamaterial sheets as they are the primary candidates to manufacture the so-called superlenses that can reveal the resolution overcoming the well-known diffraction limit (about half a wavelength). Experimental results are compared to computer simulation using both homogenized model and a rigorous approach. A physical interpretation is suggested of the development of an image with superresolution in a real device. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.