Science & Technology
Physicists create new 'invisibility cloak'
By
T.K. RandallMarch 27, 2013 ·
13 comments
Image Credit: Novosibirsk University
Scientists have succeeded in creating an invisibility cloak using a type of material called a metascreen.
Taking us a step closer to the type of cloak seen in the Harry Potter series, the new device is capable of hiding a small object from view in microwave light by using strips of copper tape attached to a flexible polycarbonate film. The ultra-thin strips produce an effect called "mantle cloaking" which effectively cancels out any light waves hitting the shielded object. The technique differs from previous attempts which instead tried to bend light rays around the object.
"When the scattered fields from the cloak and the object interfere, they cancel each other out and the overall effect is transparency and invisibility at all angles of observation," said study co-author Andrea Alu.
A miniature version of Harry Potter's invisibility cloak now exists, though it works only in microwave light, and not visible light, so far.
Source:
Live Science |
Comments (13)
Tags:
Please Login or Register to post a comment.