The theorists who first created the mathematics that describe the behavior of the recently announced "invisibility cloak" have revealed a new
analysis that may extend the current cloak's powers, enabling it to hide even actively radiating objects like a flashlight or cell phone.
Maxwell's equations said that a simple copper disk like the one Smith used could be cloaked without a problem, but anything that emitted
electromagnetic waves--a cell phone, a digital watch, or even a simple electric device like a flashlight--caused the behavior of the cloaking device
to go seriously awry. The mathematics predicts that the size of the electromagnetic fields go to infinity at the surface of the cloaked region,
possibly wrecking the invisibility.
Greenleaf's team determined that a more complicated phenomenon arises when using Maxwell's equations, leading to a "blow up" (an unexpected
infinite behavior) of the electromagnetic fields. They determined that by inserting conductive linings, whose properties depend on the specific
geometry of the cloak, this problem can be resolved. Alternatively, covering both the inside and outside surfaces of the cloaked region with carefully
matched materials can also be used to bypass this problem.
SOURCE:
PhysOrg.com
Alright, to simplify this, if I understand it correctly, a problem with
the equations was found that stated that with the addition of electro-
magnetic energy within the cloaked area would cause disruptions
and male the cloak useless.
However they devised a way to modify it so that this does'nt happ-
en, even with the electro-magnetic energy present within the
cloaked area.
This whole thing is extremely cool to me, perhaps one day it will be
like Star Trek and we'll have ships that can literally cloak themselves.
Comments, Opinions, Corrections?
[edit on 12/30/2006 by iori_komei]
