CHARLOTTE, N.C.–According to the legend of Harry Potter, the “Invisibility Cloak” has mythical origins in a fairy tale. It was also a side effect of a radiation leak in “The Invisible Man”, and a secret weapon for the “Predator”.
Science fiction for some, but real life research for Greg Gbur, a UNC Charlotte Associate Professor of Physics and Optical Science. “Invisibility is one of those things that for a long time we thought would only appear in science fiction, and now suddenly went from being impossible to possible,” said Gbur.
Right now, the research is focused on how to protect buildings and oil rigs. It isn’t exactly focused on how to make yourself invisible from the outside world. “If I put my finger inside, you really can’t see it except at the gap between the prisms,” said Gbur. Using a model made up of prisms, Gbur showed us how the refraction of light makes an invisibility cloak possible.
Researchers still need to figure out how to create the materials that will make it a reality. “I really still think it will be a long time, on the order of decades, before we see anything that some body could call a real invisibility cloak,” said Gbur.
Before we can battle bullies like a boy wizard named Harry Potter, Gbur and his colleagues have some work to do. Gbur hopes to publish some of his new discoveries this coming year. He says that right now he’s juggling about 7 different ideas about cloaking.
