F6291 Physics of invisible cloaks and perfect lenses

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 1 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
prof. Mgr. Tomáš Tyc, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. Mgr. Tomáš Tyc, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. Mgr. Tomáš Tyc, Ph.D.
Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. Mgr. Tomáš Tyc, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of principles of geometrical and wave optics
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The student will understand the principles of transformation optics.
The student will understand how an invisible cloak works.
The student will be able to explain how a perfect lens works as well as what the difference between a normal and perfect lens is.
The student will be able to calculate refractive index of an absolute instrument of the required properties.
Learning outcomes
Student porozumí principům transformační optiky.
Student porozumí tomu, jak funguje neviditelný plášť.
Student bude umět vysvětlit, jak fungují dokonalé čočky, i jaký je rozdíl mezi běžnou čočkou a dokonalou čočkou a tzv. absolutním optickým instrumentem.
Student bude umět vypočítat index lomu absolutního instrumentu požadovaných vlastností.
Syllabus
  • Basics of transformation optics, transformation of the refractive index, virtual and physical space.
  • Optical conformal mapping.
  • Transmutation of potentials in mechanics.
  • Non-Euclidean virtual space.
  • Euclidean and Non-Euclidean virtual invisible cloaks.
  • Maxwell's fish eye and other perfect lenses. Absolute instruments.
  • Invisible lens, Eaton and Luneburg lenses. Real, virtual and magnified images.
  • Geodesic lenses.
  • Methods of calculation of the refractive index od absolute instruments.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • LEONHARDT, Ulf and Thomas PHILBIN. Geometry and light : the science of invisibility. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 2010, vi, 278. ISBN 9780486476933. info
Teaching methods
Lecture during which students are asked occasionally to come to calculate something on the whiteboard.
Assessment methods
Oral examination
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
General note: S.
Teacher's information
http://physics.muni.cz/~tomtyc/nevidit_plaste_dok_cocky-predmet.html
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2015, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/F6291