  We show that negative refraction with minimal absorption can be obtained by
means of quantum interference effects similar to electromagnetically induced
transparency. Coupling a magnetic dipole transition coherently with an electric
dipole transition leads to electromagnetically induced chirality, which can
provide negative refraction without requiring negative permeability, and also
suppresses absorption. This technique allows negative refraction in the optical
regime at densities where the magnetic susceptibility is still small and with
refraction/absorption ratios that are orders of magnitude larger than those
achievable previously. Furthermore, the value of the refractive index can be
fine-tuned via external laser fields, which is essential for practical
realization of sub-diffraction-limit imaging.

Quantum Physics