Abstract
In this paper we provide a general formulation for the electromagnetic wave interaction with stratified media and then specialize to slabs of negative isotropic media. The field solutions are obtained in all regions of the stratified medium. The characteristic waves in negative isotropic media are backward waves. We derive the field solutions and show that a Gaussian beam is laterally shifted by a negative isotropic slab. The amount of beam center shift is calculated for both cases of transmission and reflection. Guided waves in stratified media are studied. Placing a linear antenna and all types of Hertzian dipole antennas in a stratified medium, we obtained solutions in all regions. We demonstrate and locate the positions of the perfect images of the antenna sources in the presence of negative isotropic slabs.