Evanescent waves in photonic crystals and image of Veselago lens

Abstract

It is shown that negative electric permittivity and magnetic permeability recently discovered in a photonic crystal in the vicinity of the Gamma-point are properties of propagating modes only. The evanescent modes rather decay than increase in the bulk of the crystal though they may be amplified by surface waves. If surface support such waves, the evanescent waves may improve the image of a thin Veselago lens. It is shown that a ``perfect lens'' contradicts to the wave optics and a criterion of ``superlensing'' is formulated.