Experimental evidence of a hiding zone in a density-near-zero acoustic metamaterial

This paper examines the feasibility of cloaking an obstacle using Plate-type Acoustic Metamaterials (PAMs). We present two distinct strategies to cloak this obstacle, using either the near-zero-density regime of a periodic arrangement of plates or the acoustic doping phenomenon to achieve simultaneous zero-phase propagation and impedance matching. The strong limitations induced by viscothermal and viscoelastic losses that cannot be avoided in such a system are studied. A hiding zone is reported analytically, numerically, and experimentally. In contrast to cloaking, where zero-phase propagation must be accompanied by total transmission and zero reflection, the hiding configuration requires that the scattering properties of the hiding device must not be affected by the presence of the obstacle embedded in it. Contrary to cloaking, the hiding phenomenon is achievable even with a realistic PAM possessing unavoidable losses.