Transform a ball into a rock -- or make it invisible -- using transformation optics
Thursday, July 9, 2009 - 09:21
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Science fiction and fantasy tales are full of the ability to "cloak" characters with invisibility. Whether it is a spaceship with a cloaking device, or a young wizard with an invisibility cloak, the interest in rendering someone or something invisible captures our fancy. Scientists have succeeded in creating the illusion of invisibility by bending light around a region for concealment. These types of devices have limitations, however; one of these limitation that the device normally has to be touching the object to be rendered invisible - or in very close proximity.