Researchers at CNR Nanotec and the University of Pavia have successfully created a supersolid state in light, allowing it to flow like a liquid but maintain a solid-like structure. This discovery was made possible by working with temperatures near absolute zero, where quantum effects are prevalent.
Scientists achieved this feat by using a semiconductor material that controls how light and electricity move. They created conditions similar to those required for Bose-Einstein condensates, where particles move together as one unit at extremely low temperatures.
The researchers observed that when too many photons were present, they began behaving in an unusual way, forming patterns that showed supersolid behavior. This discovery gives scientists a new way to study light and could lead to advances in quantum physics and technology.
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Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/scientists-freeze-light-researchers-discover-a-rare-state-of-matter-where-it-flows-like-liquid-but-holds-shape-like-a-solid/articleshow/118928851.cms?from=mdr