Student develops 'invisibility cloak' that slows light - Belfast Telegraph

Wednesday, 10 August 2011

A student has developed an optical sphere which could be used to create an 'invisibility cloak'.

Janos Perczel (22), an undergraduate student at St Andrews University in Fife, said that by slowing down light by way of an optical illusion, the light can then be bent around an object to "conceal" it.

Attempts have already been made to create invisibility cloaks but research shows that efforts are limited because any cloak would only work within certain backgrounds.

But by slowing down the rays of light, Mr Perczel says the cloak wearer can move around ever-changing backgrounds.

Mr Perczel, from Hungary, came up with the idea under the guidance of "invisibility expert" Professor Ulf Leonhardt, who teaches at the university's school of physics and astronomy.

The student recognised the potential of the invisible sphere and spent eight months fine-tuning his project.

The key development lies in the ability of the sphere, an optical device, to not only remain invisible itself but to slow light.