(c)

1. Metamaterial Lenses Emulated by MicrodropletsVera N. Smolyaninova, Towson University, DMR 1104676 Current interest in metamaterials and transformation optics is driven by such applications as cloaking and superlenses. In theory, various designs of metamaterialsuperlenses are capable of overcoming the usual diffraction limit of normal optical devices. However, extreme sophistication of three-dimensional nanofabrication techniques, which are required to realize these metamaterial designs, makes experimental progress very slow. Very recently we have developed an alternative approach based on emulating the metamaterial properties by height of a thin waveguide. The height profile of a microdroplet, which tapers off near the edge, provides us with a natural realization of the required effective refractive index (Fig. (b)). The points near the droplet edge are imaged into points located near the opposite droplet edge, as shown in the Figure. (c) Numerical simulations of imaging properties of the fisheye lens: (a) Two points near the edge of the fisheye lens are imaged into opposite points. Refractive index distribution in the lens is shown in panel (b). Experimental testing of the imaging mechanism is shown in panel (c).

2. Attracting students to physicsVera N. Smolyaninova, Towson University, DMR 1104676 Baltimore Polytechnic High school students exploring polarization. To attract youth to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines the PI presented a workshop for Baltimore Polytechnic High school students in Fall 2011. During the workshop students had the opportunity to learn and explore several phenomena from electricity and magnetism, optics and condensed matter. One student from this group has become a physics major at Towson University and is currently enrolled in Intermediate Physics Laboratory taught by the PI. The PI shows Baltimore Polytechnic High school students a levitating magnet demo.