Scientists Create Artificial Mini 'Black Hole' - CHINA

Chinese researchers have successfully built an electromagnetic absorbing device for microwave frequencies. The device, made of a thin cylinder comprising 60 concentric rings of metamaterials, is capable of absorbing microwave radiation, and has been compared to an astrophysical black hole (which, in space, soaks up matter and light).

Qiang Cheng and Tie Jun Cui of the State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves at Southeast University in Nanjing, China, designed and fabricated their absorbing device, officially called an "omnidirectional electromagnetic absorber," using 60 strips of circuit board arranged in concentric layers coated in copper.

Each layer is imprinted with alternating patterns, which resonate or don't resonate in electromagnetic waves. The designed device can trap and absorb electromagnetic waves coming from all directions by spiraling the radiation inwards and converting its energy into heat with an absorption rate of 99%.

Hence it behaves like an "electromagnetic black body" or an "electromagnetic black hole." At the moment, the device only works with microwaves, but the researchers are planning to develop a black hole for visible light next.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0a078519f8dd.jpg[/atsimg]

The current results could find some applications in microwaves. As the researchers write, "The good agreement between theoretical and experimental results has shown the excellent ability for metamaterials as the candidate to construct artificial omnidirectional absorbing devices. "Since the lossy core can transfer electromagnetic energies into heat energies, we expect that the proposed device could find important applications in thermal emitting and electromagnetic-wave harvesting."

www.sciencedaily.com...

Hmmmm ... not a very good comparison in my opinion.

An astronomical black hole 'theoretically' absorbs all forms of em radiation without re-emission.

However the Chinese device is essentially an electromagnetic frequency converter in that it absorbs one form of energy (microwaves), then re-emits it at a lower frequency as infra-red radiation (heat).

So definitely NOT even close to the true definition of a 'black hole'.
Again, just another example of sensationalist reporting.

[edit on 4/6/10 by tauristercus]

Originally posted by tauristercus
So definitely NOT even close to the true definition of a 'black hole'.
Again, just another example of sensationalist reporting.
[edit on 4/6/10 by tauristercus]

Agreed. But, still extremely interesting. Perhaps it goes toward electromagnetic stealth possibilities, and who-know's-what other uses.

I'm star/flagging it!

Alternating layers of copper and circuit board?

That sounds remarkably like the ideas of Wilhelm Reich ....

Orgone.

Resin containing metal particles is what covers the B2 stealth bomber too. This technology is going places fast.

I do like the idea that it converts electromagnetic energy into heat. Ardly "free" energy, but there's enough EM radioation around us to become practical.

Yes, the immediate application that comes to mind is radar-absorbing for stealth purposes.

The absorption of visible light though...so, it would at least appear as a literal black hole, if not really be acting like one.

If the light absorbing device was spherical, and instead of converting the energy to heat on the other side...it simply re-emitted it (precisely on the other side of the sphere, from where it entered)...wouldn't we have an effective form of invisibility?

Hmmm...

[edit on 4-6-2010 by mobiusmale]

reply to post by EnhancedInterrogator


I remember seeing something on a show awhile back where they were researching this same idea for stealth technology using the same device. I wish I could remember exactly what they said and how they demonstrated it in the lab.

reply to post by sandri_90


This is about as accurate as comparing railway tunnels to black holes.

Originally posted by tauristercus
Hmmmm ... not a very good comparison in my opinion.

An astronomical black hole 'theoretically' absorbs all forms of em radiation without re-emission.

However the Chinese device is essentially an electromagnetic frequency converter in that it absorbs one form of energy (microwaves), then re-emits it at a lower frequency as infra-red radiation (heat).

So definitely NOT even close to the true definition of a 'black hole'.
Again, just another example of sensationalist reporting.

Well, I may argue that the definition of 'heat' is nowhere near 'thermal radiation' the very same way you argue the device is not even close to the definition of a black hole. But I guess both terms are ok since the goal is to explain this to people reading both the article and the post.

However, just to clarify, thermal radiation may not be only in the infrared spectrum, for all we know this device could also be emitting visible light. My apologies if the article states otherwise.

[edit on 4-6-2010 by daniel_g]

disaster waitin to happen...
.
.
.

This is a true leap for meta materials. This application is 99% efficient!!?

If they manage to create a device that is 99% efficient at converting the visible spectrum of the EM field then we would see solar energy stocks soar!!

If there are any would be investors out there, pick a solar energy firm and INVEST!!!!

All the best,

Korg.

i don't really see much purpose in this, maybe the concepts can be applied elsewhere, or we could have the safest microwaves ovens ever made.

edit
maybe if it can be made sensitive enough to pick up on the earths electromagnetism, it would be the freest energy ever.

All new technologies have unforeseen and foreseen consequences.

[edit on 4-6-2010 by quantumdragon]