The new true one-way glass is real metamaterial magic.

"The magnetic properties of a material can affect how it interacts with light. Credit: Ihar Faniayeu/University of Gothenburg" (ScitechDaily, The Magic Behind True One-Way Glass: A Breakthrough in Optical Metamaterials)

The magnetic conditions in metamaterial cause light waves can turn small particles into different positions. That position determines if the light can travel through the glass or if it can reflect from it. 

Researchers at Aalto University created a new metamaterial that is like one-way glass. This thing is one of the most interesting things in metamaterial research. Real one-way glass means. That it doesn't require a dark room behind it. And that is a great breakthrough for that in optics. The real breakthrough is that this metamaterial can reflect light from another side when a magnetic field turns its particles in a certain direction. 

That means that the magnetic field can adjust if the one-way glass lets the light travel through it or if it reflects that light. Reseachers can use laser technology solutions. The laser forms its ray by jumping light between two mirrors. The one-way glass can make it possible for the laser will jump laser ray between two mirrors there are no holes. 

Then the the other mirror opens the road to the laser ray. In normal lasers, there is a hole in another mirror. The is sometimes a shutter there is also a mirror, and then the laser starts to load energy into the laser ray that jumps between those mirrors. When the laser system's energy level is high enough, the laser opens the shutter. This thing makes it possible to create energy pulses that are calculated accurately. 

Reseachers can also use one-sided glass to protect devices and things like eyes against laser rays. When a laser ray impacts the glass layer the light cell detects that thing. Then the system turns the mirror side out and reflects at least part of the laser ray's energy away. In that kind one way glass can used to protect satellites, aircraft, and other types of devices against laser rays. 

The idea is that engineers cover the vehicle's shell with this type of glass. It's possible that this kind of glass is connected with bullet-proof materials or is below the very bright and thin carbonite crystal. The system can also cool that layer. Or in satellites and their solar panels this glass can be put in a structure that looks like blind. The idea is that glass will turn its reflecting side outside. 

https://scitechdaily.com/the-magic-behind-true-one-way-glass-a-breakthrough-in-optical-metamaterials/