Making metamaterials ‘digital’ could simplify invisibility cloaks

New way to make materials that manipulate light inspired by the 1s and 0s of computers

Invisibility cloaks and superlenses could be improved by taking a page from the digital playbook, two scientists contend September 14 in Nature Materials. Their method, inspired by the 1s and 0s of digital electronics, involves arranging nano-sized blocks of just two materials to bend and focus light.