Researchers have successfully turned light into a supersolid for the first time, marking a significant milestone in condensed matter physics. This achievement builds on earlier work by scientists who demonstrated that light can behave like a fluid.
Supersolids are unique materials with zero viscosity and a structure resembling conventional crystals. Unlike typical materials, which follow familiar laws of physics, supersolids exist mainly in the quantum realm. The recent experiment used a semiconductor to create hybrid particles called polaritons, which coalesced into a supersolid state due to a specially patterned piece of material.
The team faced a significant challenge: measuring properties of this newly formed supersolid to prove it exhibited characteristics of both solid and fluid with no viscosity. While the findings have been convincingly shown, additional measurements are necessary to comprehend its properties fully.
This achievement represents an exciting beginning for researchers into quantum technology, potentially leading to groundbreaking applications in the coming years. Turning light into a solid opens up new realms of understanding in quantum mechanics, marking a significant step into uncharted territory for our universe’s fundamental building blocks.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/supersolid-scientists-turn-light-solid-213738392.html