Physicists Close in on 'Superlens'

An anonymous reader writes "In Oregon, physicists have developed a material for creating a real superlens that in theory could attain a one-nanometer visual resolution. The idea is to use exotic materials to create "negative" refraction of light, which literally means steering it in the opposite direction of that found in the natural world."

Comments

Negative Refraction

[HateBreeder]

I thought you can get negative refraction, when an electromagnetic wave passes through a "Metamaterial" i.e. One with Negative Permittivity and Permeability.

(for instnace, in a dispersive plasma cloud)

Is that really possible?

[timerider]

I mean, how do you get 1nm visual resolution, when the wavelength of visual light ranges from 400-800 nm?