Transformation optics with artificial Riemann sheets

Abstract

The two original versions of ‘invisibility’ cloaks (Leonhardt 2006 Science 312 1777–80 and Pendry et al 2006 Science 312 1780–2) show perfect cloaking but require unphysical singularities in material properties. A non-Euclidean version of cloaking (Leonhardt 2009 Science 323 110–12) was later presented to address these problems, using a very complicated non-Euclidean geometry. In this work, we combine the two original approaches to transformation optics into a more general concept: transformation optics with artificial Riemann sheets. Our method is straightforward and can be utilized to design new kinds of cloaks that can work not only in the realm of geometric optics but also using wave optics. The physics behind this design is similar to that of the conformal cloak for waves. The resonances in the interior region make the phase delay disappear and induce the cloaking effect. Numerical simulations confirm our theoretical results.