A nonsingular, polarization-dependent, 3D impulse response is derived to determine unambiguously the amplitude distribution in the image volume of a negative-refractive-index layered lens. The generalized amplitude transfer function is introduced to gain a deep insight into the resolution power of the optical element. In the near-field regime, fine details containing some depth information may be transmitted through the lens. Metamaterials with moderate absorption are appropriate for subwavelength resolution keeping a limited degree of depth discrimination.
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