Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




TECH SPACE
New material creates invisibility
by Staff Writers
Evanston, Ill. (UPI) Apr 27, 2011


disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

U.S. researchers say they've created a cloaking material that can render objects invisible in the terahertz range, which lies between infrared and microwaves.

Scientists at Northwestern University say the design can't translate into an invisibility cloak for the visible spectrum but it could have implications in diagnostics, security and communications, a university release said Wednesday.

The material, designed by Northwestern professor of mechanical engineering Chen Sun, uses microfabricated gradient-index materials to manipulate the reflection and refraction of light.

Humans normally recognize objects through two features -- shape and color. To render an object invisible, light must be manipulated so it will neither scatter at an object's surface nor be absorbed or reflected by it, the process that gives objects color.

Sun says the purpose of the cloak is not to hide items but to get a better understanding of how to design materials that can manipulate light propagation.

"This demonstrates that we have the freedom to design materials that can change the refraction index," Sun said. "By doing this we can manipulate light propagation much more effectively."

Sun says he has no plans to attempt to extend his invisibility cloak to visible frequencies.

"That is still far away," he said. "We're focusing on one frequency range, and such a cloak would have to work across the entire spectrum."

.


Related Links
Space Technology News - Applications and Research






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








TECH SPACE
Researchers Discover Optical Secrets of Metallic Beetles
Washington DC (SPX) Apr 27, 2011
Costa Rica was once regarded as the poorest of all the colonies of the Spanish Empire, sadly deficient in the silver and gold so coveted by conquistadors. As it turns out, all of the glittering gold and silver those explorers could have ever wanted was there all along, in the country's tropical rainforests-but in the form of two gloriously lustrous species of beetle. Today, the brilliant g ... read more


TECH SPACE
BRP To Contribute To Canadian Moon And Mars Exploration Programs

Naveen Jain Co-Founder And Chairman Of Moon Express

Project Morpheus To Begin Testing At NASA's Johnson Space Center

NASA Announces Winners Of 18th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race

TECH SPACE
NASA Orbiter Reveals Big Changes in Mars' Atmosphere

Dry ice find hints Mars was a wetter place: study

A Tale Of Two Deserts

Mars Rover's 'Gagarin' Moment Applauded Exploration

TECH SPACE
The Big Picture Wins Big

T-38s Soar as Spaceflight Trainers

Tugboats in Space

SpaceX Wins NASA Contract To Complete Development Of Successor To Space Shuttle

TECH SPACE
Countdown begins for Chineses space station program

Asia's star ever brighter in space

What Future for Chang'e-2

China setting up new rocket production base

TECH SPACE
See You On The ISS Said The Spider To The Fly

Russia launches cargo vessel for space station

Russia's Progress M-09M spacecraft to be sunk in Pacific

Russia prepares to launch space freighter to ISS

TECH SPACE
GSAT-8 put through its paces

Ariane Ariane 5 enjoys second successful launch for 2011

Ariane rocket launches two telecoms satellites

SpaceX aims to put man on Mars in 10-20 years

TECH SPACE
Tuning Into ExoPlanet Radio

The Shocking Environment Of Hot Jupiters

Radio signals could 'tag' distant planets

Titan-Like Exoplanets

TECH SPACE
Lake life around Chernobyl said thriving

Researchers working to advance predictability research initiatives

Researchers Discover Optical Secrets of Metallic Beetles

New material creates invisibility




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement