Metamaterials and the problem of creating invisible objects. 2. Invisible shells that conceal the objects contained in them from an external observer

Шепилов М.П., Жилин А.А. Метаматериалы и проблема создания невидимых объектов. 2. Невидимые оболочки, скрывающие содержащиеся в них объекты от внешнего наблюдателя // Оптический журнал. 2009. Т. 76. № 6. С. 40–58.

Shepilov M.P., Zhilin A.A. Metamaterials and the problem of creating invisible objects. 2. Invisible shells that conceal the objects contained in them from an external observer [in Russian] // Opticheskii Zhurnal. 2009. V. 76. № 6. P. 40–58.

M. P. Shepilov and A. A. Zhilin, "Metamaterials and the problem of creating invisible objects. 2. Invisible shells that conceal the objects contained in them from an external observer," Journal of Optical Technology. 76 (6), 350-363 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1364/JOT.76.000350

Advances in designing and fabricating metamaterials with unique electromagnetic properties have made it possible to raise the question of whether it is possible to create invisible objects. A review was presented earlier of papers on the problem of creating invisible objects whose size is less than or of the order of the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. This paper presents the second part of the review and is concerned with the problem of creating invisible shells of arbitrary shape that conceal the objects contained in them from an external observer. The results of a theoretical prediction of the structure of such shells are described, based on the method of spatial transformations. Theoretical approaches to the simplification of the structure of the shells and attempts to experimentally implement the simplified shells are presented. The appearance of a new specialization of theoretical optics--transformation optics--is pointed out.