Left-handed high energy density waveguides: nano-light propagation and focusing

It has been recently shown that a planar waveguide structure with a strongly anisotropic core can be used as non-magnetic medium with negative refractive index. In such a system, the optical radiation propagating in the plane of the waveguide is effectively confined in deep subwavelength space perpendicular to this plane, leading to the strong enhancement of energy density inside the system. We demonstrate the possibility of using the high energy-density waveguide as a planar lens, present a detailed study of imaging properties of the proposed system, and consider the perspectives of energy confinement beyond the diffraction limit.