In a development that would make J K Rowling’s Harry Potter proud, scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have made an object disappear, moving one step closer to creating an invisibility cloak.

Researchers from the university’s School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science made the object disappear by using a composite material with nano-size particles that enhance specific properties on the surface of the object.

Working with UK industry, the team have demonstrated for the first time ever a practical cloaking device that allows curved surfaces to appear flat to electromagnetic waves – creating something akin to the invisibility cloak made famous in the Harry Potter books.

While we may be some way off being able to shroud ourselves in invisible material and wander the streets shouting ‘Accio coffee cup’, this demonstration could result in a change in how antennas are tethered to their platform.

Antennas of all shapes and sizes could potentially be attached in difficult places and in a variety of materials.

“The design is based upon transformation optics, a concept behind the idea of the invisibility cloak,” explained Professor Yang Hao.

“Previous research has shown this technique working at one frequency. However, we can demonstrate that it works at a greater range of frequencies making it more useful for other engineering applications, such as nano-antennas and the aerospace industry.”

The team coated a curved surface with a nanocomposite medium, which has seven distinct layers, where the electric property of each layer varies depending on the position. This effectively ‘cloaks’ the object, and such a structure can then hide an object that would normally have caused the wave to be scattered.

The concept can be used for a range of applications, ranging from microwave to optics for the control of any type of electromagnetic surface waves.

Explaining the science behind what may appear to many as the stuff of science-fiction, Dr Luigi La Spada said: “The study and manipulation of surface waves is the key to develop technological and industrial solutions in the design of real-life platforms, for different application fields.

“We demonstrated a practical possibility to use nanocomposites to control surface wave propagation through advanced additive manufacturing. Perhaps most importantly, the approach used can be applied to other physical phenomena that are described by wave equations, such as acoustics.”

The team believe that the development will have a considerable impact on the industry – and maybe with just a little bit of magic we might one day be able to don an invisibility cloak and tiptoe through the corridors of Hogwarts.

The research is funded by an EPSRC programme grant and published in the journal Scientific Reports.