Researchers have made an exciting breakthrough by turning light into a supersolid for the first time. This opens new doors for understanding the strange behaviors of matter in the quantum world.
Dimitrios Trypogeorgos from Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We actually made light into a solid. That’s pretty awesome.”
This discovery builds on findings from over a decade ago by another CNR scientist, Danielle Sanvitto, who showed that light could act like a fluid. Now, Trypogeorgos and his team have taken it further, creating a new state of matter known as a quantum “supersolid.”
Supersolids are unique because they combine the features of solids and fluids. Unlike regular materials, supersolids have zero viscosity and display characteristics similar to conventional crystals like salt. They mainly exist in the quantum realm, where ordinary physical laws don’t always apply.
Previously, forming supersolids required cooling atoms to very low temperatures, where quantum effects could be observed. In this recent experiment, researchers used a semiconductor called aluminum gallium arsenide, departing from traditional methods that relied on ultracold atoms.
By directing a laser onto a specially designed piece of the semiconductor, the researchers created new particles called polaritons. The unique pattern of ridges on the semiconductor controlled how these particles could move, allowing them to come together and form a supersolid.
The team faced the challenging task of measuring the properties of this new supersolid to confirm it truly behaved like both a solid and a fluid. Sanvitto pointed out that creating a supersolid from light had never been accomplished or validated before.
Alberto Bramati from Sorbonne University noted that this research helps expand our understanding of how quantum materials transition between states. While the team has shown they can produce a supersolid, further studies are needed to explore its characteristics fully.
Trypogeorgos believes that light-based supersolids might be easier to work with than those made from atoms. This could lead to exciting discoveries in quantum technology and new states of matter.
As scientists continue to unravel the complexities of this new state, turning light into a solid is just the beginning. This groundbreaking research sparks curiosity about the fundamental building blocks of our universe and the potential it holds for future innovations.
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Source linklight, Physics, Science, Supersolid
