Two-Dimensional Sub-diffraction-limited Imaging by an Optimized Multilayer Superlens

Abstract

An optimized multilayer superlens is designed, using a rigorous and efficient approach based on the method of moments (MoM) in conjunction with a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm. For the MoM solution, fast evaluation of closed-form Green’s functions (GFs) in the spatial domain is performed by applying the complex-image (CI) technique, which obviates the time-consuming numerical evaluation of Sommerfeld integrals. The imaging capability of the superlens is examined with the correlation coefficient; results show that using circular polarization for the incident wave can improve this coefficient. To validate the proposed method, finite-element-based simulations are exploited, which reveal the method’s accuracy and computational efficiency. Simulation results indicate that the designed structure is capable of producing two-dimensional sub-diffraction-limited images in the visible range, which may make it more versatile for practical applications. Finally, as a considerable finding, it is demonstrated for the proposed design that using circularly polarized illumination provides improved super-resolving performance, compared to linearly polarized illumination.