Illusion Media: Generating Virtual Objects Using Realizable Metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper introduces illusion media made of realizable metamaterials that can render objects invisible and generate virtual objects, demonstrated through a microwave device transforming real objects into virtual ones with positive permittivity and permeability.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel class of illusion media using positive-permittivity metamaterials, enabling practical realization of optical illusions and virtual object generation.

Findings

Successfully designed a microwave illusion device

Verified electromagnetic behavior with full-wave simulations

Achieved virtual object generation with positive permittivity materials

Abstract

We propose a class of optical transformation media, illusion media, which render the enclosed object invisible and generate one or more virtual objects as desired. We apply the proposed media to design a microwave device, which transforms an actual object into two virtual objects. Such an illusion device exhibits unusual electromagnetic behavior as verified by full-wave simulations. Different from the published illusion devices which are composed of left-handed materials with simultaneously negative permittivity and permeability, the proposed illusion media have finite and positive permittivity and permeability. Hence the designed device could be realizable using artificial metamaterials.