Between Right and Left Handed Media

We report analytical calculations for the propagation of electromagnetic radiation through an inhomogeneous layer whose refractive index varies in one dimension situated between bulk right- and left-handed media. Significant field localization is generated in the layer that is caused by the coherent superposition of evanescent waves. The strength of the field localization and the transmission properties of the layer are investigated as a function of the layer width, losses and defects in the refractive index; the former two being modelled by continuous changes, and the latter by discontinuous changes, in the index profile.