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Macroscopic Invisibility Cloak for Visible Light

Baile Zhang, Yuan Luo, Xiaogang Liu, and George Barbastathis
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 033901 – Published 18 January 2011
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Abstract

Invisibility cloaks, a subject that usually occurs in science fiction and myths, have attracted wide interest recently because of their possible realization. The biggest challenge to true invisibility is known to be the cloaking of a macroscopic object in the broad range of wavelengths visible to the human eye. Here we experimentally solve this problem by incorporating the principle of transformation optics into a conventional optical lens fabrication with low-cost materials and simple manufacturing techniques. A transparent cloak made of two pieces of calcite is created. This cloak is able to conceal a macroscopic object with a maximum height of 2 mm, larger than 3500 free-space-wavelength, inside a transparent liquid environment. Its working bandwidth encompassing red, green, and blue light is also demonstrated.

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  • Received 14 December 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.033901

© 2011 The American Physical Society

Synopsis

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What lies beneath

Published 18 January 2011

A carpet cloak hides a chunky object sitting on a mirror, reflecting light as though only the mirror were there.

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Authors & Affiliations

Baile Zhang1,2, Yuan Luo1,2, Xiaogang Liu1, and George Barbastathis1,2,*

  • 1Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) Centre, Singapore 117543, Singapore
  • 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA

  • *gbarb@mit.edu

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 3 — 21 January 2011

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