Experiments on cloaking in optics, thermodynamics and mechanics

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• Spatial coordinate transformations are a theoretical framework for manipulating physical fields.
• Cloaking aims to render objects undetectable by hiding them from specific wave phenomena.
• Previous cloaking research has faced limitations in bandwidth, dimensionality, and material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore fundamental constraints and experimental realizations of cloaking using spatial transformations.
• To demonstrate broadband, omnidirectional, and multi-physics cloaking capabilities.
• To highlight the versatility of coordinate transformations in advanced material design.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of spatial coordinate transformation principles.
• Experimental implementation of cloaking devices in optics, thermal, and mechanical systems.
• Utilizing metamaterials, such as pentamode materials, for cloaking applications.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated three-dimensional broadband visible-frequency carpet cloaking.
• Achieved transient thermal cloaking and omnidirectional macroscopic broadband cloaking for diffuse light.
• Successfully cloaked flexural waves in thin plates and elasto-static fields using mechanical metamaterials.

Conclusions:

• Spatial coordinate transformations provide a powerful and versatile tool for achieving advanced cloaking.
• Experimental results validate the theoretical framework across diverse physical domains.
• This work paves the way for practical cloaking applications in visible light, thermal management, and wave mechanics.