Scientists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have succeeded in making an object disappear with the help of an invisibility cloak
For long we have been fascinated with stories where people become invisible now we are close to observe and experience the same with our own eyes. The concept of an invisibility cloak was first introduced to the modern world by J.K. Rowling’s magical world of Harry Potter. For the first time in the history of mankind Scientists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have succeeded in making an object disappear. This new development by the scientists has not as yet succeeded in creating an invisible cloak like that in Harry Potter but, it is the first successful step and can have greater technological and industrial outcomes.
In order to enhance specific properties on the object’s surface they used a material with nano-size particles. And for the first time, researchers from QMUL’s school of electronic engineering and computer science demonstrated a practical cloaking device that in front of electromagnetic waves allowed curved surfaces to appear flat. This practical demonstration could result in a step-change in how antennas are tethered to their platform. Over wide variety of materials, antennas in different shapes and sizes could be attached in awkward places and allow scientist to succeed in creating an invisible cloak.
How will muggles benefit?
Professor Yang Hao, who is a study co-author said that the design is based upon transformation optics, a concept behind the idea of the invisibility cloak. Research conducted previously had shown that this technique worked at one frequency. Hao further said however, we can demonstrate that it works at a greater range of frequencies making it more useful for other engineering applications, such as nano-antennas and the aerospace industry.
He explained that for the control of any kind of electromagnetic surface waves their design approach has much wider applications that ranges from microwave to optics. Dr Luigi La Spada, the first author added that the manipulation of surface waves is the key to develop technological and industrial solutions in the design of real-life platforms, for different application fields.
