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Abstract
We introduce a new type of electromagnetic cloak, the spacetime cloak (STC), which conceals events rather than objects. Non-emitting events occurring during a restricted period are never suspected by a distant observer. The cloak works by locally manipulating the speed of light of an initially uniform light distribution, whilst the light rays themselves always follow straight paths. Any 'perfect' spacetime cloak would necessarily rely upon the technology of electromagnetic metamaterials, which has already been shown to be capable of deforming light in ways hitherto unforeseen—to produce, for example, an electromagnetic object cloak. Nevertheless, we show how it is possible to use intensity-dependent refractive indices to construct an approximate STC, an implementation that would enable the distinct signature of successful event cloaking to be observed. Potential demonstrations include systems that apparently violate quantum statistics, 'interrupt-without-interrupt' computation on convergent data channels and the illusion of a Star Trek transporter.
AuthorMartin W McCall1, Alberto Favaro1, Paul Kinsler1 and Allan Boardman2
Affiliations1 Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
2 Photonics and Nonlinear Science Group, Joule Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
_http://iopscience.iop.org/2040-8986/13/2/024003
and Star Trek? We ain't seen nothin' yet!
