International Journal of Physics | Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2011 | pp. 26–34
DOI: 10.46882/2011/IJP/000016
Article Type: Review Paper
Title: Progress in Metamaterial Cloaking Mechanisms: From Transformation Optics to Plasmonic Cloaks
Names of Authors: L. A. Cooper¹, A. O. Babalola²
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK; ²Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Abstract: Electromagnetic metamaterials have revolutionized the field of optics by enabling unusual material responses, such as negative refractive indices and artificial anisotropy. This review provides an analytical overview of the primary cloaking strategies developed over the past decade to render objects undetectable to incident radiation fields. We contrast the foundational framework of transformation optics, which routes electromagnetic fields around a hidden volume via spatially varying permittivity and permeability profiles, with alternative approaches including scattering cancellation and plasmonic cloaking. The technical challenges of implementing these models in experimental configurations are discussed, focusing on the trade-offs between operational bandwidth, structural loss, and device dimensions. While transformation-based cloaks are fundamentally constrained by causality to narrow operating frequencies, scattering cancellation systems offer a broader operational band for sub-wavelength objects. We examine recent advances in coordinate transformation equations that reduce the necessity for extreme, non-local material parameters, making fabrication via standard lithographic methods more achievable. The review concludes by highlighting the emerging application of metasurfaces for planar, low-profile illusion optics and skin cloaks operating across visible light frequencies.
Keywords: Electromagnetic metamaterials; Transformation optics; Cloaking mechanisms; Scattering cancellation; Plasmonic structures; Refractive index; Spatial permittivity; Metasurfaces.
Manuscript Timeline: Received: January 10, 2011; Revised: February 22, 2011; Accepted: March 14, 2011; Published: April 05, 2011.
Citation: Cooper, L. A., & Babalola, A. O. (2011). Progress in Metamaterial Cloaking Mechanisms: From Transformation Optics to Plasmonic Cloaks. International Journal of Physics, 2(4), 26–34.
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