A new study published in Science and conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has led to the development of an ultra-thin "invisibility cloak" that is layered with thousands of nanoscale dots that alter any reflected light to make the object under the cloak appear flat, according to The Guardian.
"It's the first time we've done arbitrary shape cloaking," said Ziang Zhang, creator of the device. "If you want to cloak people, that is possible with this new work."
Invisibility cloaks work by bending light around objects to make them unnoticeable, according to NBC News. However, the materials used in this realm of research thus far have not been ideal for shaping and are only effective at narrow angles. Zhangs cloak, on the other hand, possesses a level of thinness and flexibility that allows it to fit around objects of any shape.
A 50-nanometer-thick layer of magnesium fluoride, which is then coated with tiny, gold antennas that are each 30 nanometers thick, creates the film. Each antenna ranges in size, anywhere from 30 to 200 nanometers long and 90 to 175 nanometers wide,
Although the cloak can make objects appear flat, any movement destroys the illusion - more advancements need to be made to create a true "invisibility cloak" that would allow humans to move around completely undetected.
The cloak has the potential to be used in many different fields for various applications, including cosmetic and military, according to Popular Mechanics.
"One application might be in cosmetics," said Zhang. "You can imagine if someone has a fat belly, like me, and he wants to look nice, he could put this layer on and it will look like a six pack."
"Keep in mind, this is an entirely new design, and the advantage for future consumer or even military application is that we're starting from a very, very small size," said Xingjie Ni, lead author of the study.
