In this paper, we discuss the intriguing possibility of tailoring the scattering response of an electrically small object for camouflage and illusion applications using metasurfaces. As a significant example, we focus our attention on the cylindrical geometry and derive the analytical conditions needed to camouflage the geometrical and electrical characteristics of dielectric and metallic cylinders coated with ideal metasurfaces. A closed-form expression of the camouflaging metasurface depending on the cylinder’s characteristics is derived. Furthermore, the frequency behavior and the limitations of this technique are discussed with the aid of relevant examples. In order to overcome these limitations, a solution based on the use of lossy metasurfaces is proposed.

• Received 6 September 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.7.034032