Bend light brings breakthroughs in stealth technology

By bending light in a diffuse environment, a research team created a new solution as a breakthrough in stealth technology.

Light bend

The concealment of objects directly illuminated is extremely difficult. While there are ongoing studies on different types of cloaks in different ways, researchers at Navarre University (NUP / UPNA) and Valencia Polytechnic University (UPV) are approaching in a completely different direction.

More specifically, they are coming up with the idea of ​​developing a perfect "stealth" mechanism by bending light. According to the publication in Physical Review A, the team conducted its study by simulating stealth technology that could cover objects in diffuse environments. Based on this study, this type of invisibility is formed by surrounding objects with a special material, which is capable of bending light around it.

"It's completely understandable, because all we need is just two different materials with characteristic diffusion coefficients; by combining them together into a gown can make light spread around the object in a special way so that it will look like it disappears " - said researcher Bakhtiyar Oabayerv from Navarre University. "We can achieve absolute invisibility ; but of course that only happens in environments with diffusion."

A model of stealth class researchers have invented.(Source: Elhuyar Fundazioa).

Difficulties pile up

Obviously this research is not easy. This type of technology, coupled with certain fundamental principles, and previously existing technological difficulties, has always hindered the development of new directions."These proposed" invisibility cloaks "do not work properly when objects are projected by short wavelengths, which often occur in practical applications," - Abiétar researcher Alejandro Martínez shown. The most feasible work currently possible is a type of optical technology transformation . This type of focus focuses on identifying the right material that best fits the gown form.

Although the group has not yet been able to start creating a complete prototype in the laboratory, we can count on the possibility of great application in the future, compared to creating an invisibility cloak just to go around around the corridor of Hogwarts magic school. It can be used to improve the transmission path of optical communications, or to help airplanes search for aerial photos, or even to develop better solar cells.

"Except for the mentioned features, this technology also helps show the intangible objects that are susceptible to interference in communication systems as well as perform tomography in diffuse environments in the form of Organic tissue , " said researcher Miguel Beruete.