What is supersolid light?
A supersolid is an exotic phase of matter that simultaneously possesses the rigidity of a solid and the ability to flow like a superfluid. Until now, supersolidity had only been observed in Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), a state of matter formed when a group of bosons is cooled to near absolute zero, causing them to occupy the same quantum state.
However, a team led by Antonio Gianfate from CNR Nanotec and Davide Nigro from the University of Pavia has now demonstrated that light itself can exhibit this peculiar behavior.
How scientists ‘froze’ light?
Instead of traditional freezing – lowering temperature to turn a liquid into a solid – the researchers used quantum techniques to create a supersolid state in light. They worked with a semiconductor platform designed to manipulate photons in a manner similar to how electrons behave in conductors.
Using a gallium arsenide structure embedded with microscopic ridges, the team fired a laser to produce hybrid light-matter particles known as polaritons.
As the number of photons increased, the researchers observed the formation of satellite condensates, a pattern indicative of supersolidity. These condensates shared the same energy but opposite wavenumbers, forming a unique spatial structure that confirmed the presence of a supersolid state.
“At temperatures near absolute zero, quantum effects emerge,” the researchers explained. “This is just the beginning of understanding supersolidity in light.”
Implications of this discovery
This discovery has far-reaching implications for quantum technology. Supersolid light could play a crucial role in developing more stable quantum bits (qubits), which are essential for the advancement of quantum computing.
Beyond computing, the ability to manipulate light in this way could revolutionize optical devices, photonic circuits, and even fundamental quantum mechanics research. Scientists anticipate that future research will refine these techniques, enabling more stable and controlled formations of supersolid light.
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