Illusion Media: Generate Virtual Objects Using Realizable Metamaterials

Transformation optics offers an unconventional strategy to the design of metamaterial devices. In this letter, we propose a class of optical transformation media, illusion media, which can render the enclosed object invisible and generate one or more virtual objects as desired. An arbitrary object enclosed by such an illusion medium layer appears to be one or more other objects. We apply the proposed method to design two devices, one of which transforms an actual object into two virtual objects, and the other of which transforms a complicated metallic object into a virtual dielectric object with arbitrary material properties. Both illusion devices exhibit unusual electromagnetic behaviors 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 illusion media proposed in this letter have positive permittivity and permeability. We also propose a method of amending function to eliminate the singularities of medium parameters in the illusion media. Hence the designed devices could be realizable using artificial metamaterials. The proposed method presents a major step towards the realization of illusion media. PACS numbers. 41.20.Jb, 42.25.Gy, 42.79.-e