Far-field subdiffraction optical microscopy using metamaterial crystals: Theory and simulations

Abstract

Here we suggest and explore theoretically an idea for a far-field scanless optical microscopy with a subdiffraction resolution. We exploit the special dispersion characteristics of an anisotropic metamaterial crystal that is obliquely cut at its output plane, or has a curved output surface, in order to map the input field distribution onto the crystal’s output surface with a compressed angular spectrum, resulting in a “magnified” image. This can provide a far-field imaging system with a resolution beyond the diffraction limits while no scanning is needed.