Three-Dimensional Complete Vectorial Electromagnetic Analysis for Super-Oscillatory Lens

A three-dimensional complete vectorial electromagnetic analysis is conducted to demonstrate the subwavelength focusing and high-resolution imaging mechanisms of super-oscillatory lens (SOL), which includes two successive physical processes, electromagnetic focusing and electromagnetic imaging. The vectorial field distribution formed by delicate interference of multi-diffraction beams from SOL is theoretically predicted and then validated by a rigorous result calculated by the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method. The equivalent magnetic-dipole vectorial imaging theory is applied to quantitatively evaluate the imaging field in the detection plane, and the polarization filtering transmission mechanism of a high-numerical-aperture microscopic imaging system with high magnification is revealed. This approach provides a theoretical basis for applying SOL to these fields such as nanolithography, super-resolution microscopy and particle manipulation.