Solid light

Last updated

Solid light, or hard light, is a hypothetical material consisting of light in a solidified state.

Contents

It has been theorized that solid light could exist. [1] [2] Some experiments claim to have created solid photonic matter or molecules by inducing strong interaction between photons. [3] [4] [5] Potential applications of solid light could include logic gates for quantum computers [4] and room-temperature superconductor development. [3]

Experiments

Photons, the particles that make up forms of electromagnetic radiation like light, do not normally interact with one another, but may be made to interact in a nonlinear medium. [6]

The MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms conducted experiments in the 2010s. Single photons were fired from weak lasers into a dense cloud of rubidium cooled to near absolute zero. The speed of light in the cloud was about 100,000 times slower than in a vacuum. Within the cloud, photons lost energy and gained mass. The conditions allowed photons to attract and bind to other photons, and exit the cloud as molecules. Reportedly, photon pairs were observed in 2013, and triplets in 2018. [4] [5]

Fiction

Solid light appears in several video game franchises, including Halo , Portal , and Overwatch . In Portal 2 , sunlight is used to create "hard light bridges", which act as solid semi-transparent walkways or barriers. [7] In Overwatch, the fictional Vishkar Corporation uses solid light as a construction material. [7] In Halo, solid light is the foundation of Forerunner weapons and many of their utilitarian devices like retractable bridges.[ citation needed ]

Solid holograms appear many times in the TV show Star Trek . [7] [8] In Red Dwarf , the character Rimmer is a hologram who obtains a "hard light drive", allowing him to become tangible. [7] In the animated show Steven Universe , several main characters are aliens who have physical forms made out of light, with a gemstone as the only material part of their body. [9] [10]

In DC Comics' Green Lantern , the various Lantern Corps use solid light constructs. [7] In Marvel Comics properties, "hard light" manifests in many forms. For example, Ms. Marvel utilizes photon blasts to generate concussive force. [11] The X-Men's Danger Room also utilizes hard light constructs in its simulations.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laser</span> Device which emits light via optical amplification

A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word laser is an anacronym that originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The first laser was built in 1960 by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories, based on theoretical work by Charles H. Townes and Arthur Leonard Schawlow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nonlinear optics</span> Branch of physics

Nonlinear optics (NLO) is the branch of optics that describes the behaviour of light in nonlinear media, that is, media in which the polarization density P responds non-linearly to the electric field E of the light. The non-linearity is typically observed only at very high light intensities (when the electric field of the light is >108 V/m and thus comparable to the atomic electric field of ~1011 V/m) such as those provided by lasers. Above the Schwinger limit, the vacuum itself is expected to become nonlinear. In nonlinear optics, the superposition principle no longer holds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photoelectric effect</span> Emission of electrons when electromagnetic radiation hits a material

The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from a material caused by electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light. Electrons emitted in this manner are called photoelectrons. The phenomenon is studied in condensed matter physics, solid state, and quantum chemistry to draw inferences about the properties of atoms, molecules and solids. The effect has found use in electronic devices specialized for light detection and precisely timed electron emission.

Atomic, molecular, and optical physics (AMO) is the study of matter–matter and light–matter interactions, at the scale of one or a few atoms and energy scales around several electron volts. The three areas are closely interrelated. AMO theory includes classical, semi-classical and quantum treatments. Typically, the theory and applications of emission, absorption, scattering of electromagnetic radiation (light) from excited atoms and molecules, analysis of spectroscopy, generation of lasers and masers, and the optical properties of matter in general, fall into these categories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstellar medium</span> Matter and radiation in the space between the star systems in a galaxy

The interstellar medium (ISM) is the matter and radiation that exists in the space between the star systems in a galaxy. This matter includes gas in ionic, atomic, and molecular form, as well as dust and cosmic rays. It fills interstellar space and blends smoothly into the surrounding intergalactic space. The energy that occupies the same volume, in the form of electromagnetic radiation, is the interstellar radiation field. Although the density of atoms in the ISM is usually far below that in the best laboratory vacuums, the mean free path between collisions is short compared to typical interstellar lengths, so on these scales the ISM behaves as a gas, responding to pressure forces, and not as a collection of non-interacting particles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emission spectrum</span> Frequencies of light emitted by atoms or chemical compounds

The emission spectrum of a chemical element or chemical compound is the spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation emitted due to electrons making a transition from a high energy state to a lower energy state. The photon energy of the emitted photons is equal to the energy difference between the two states. There are many possible electron transitions for each atom, and each transition has a specific energy difference. This collection of different transitions, leading to different radiated wavelengths, make up an emission spectrum. Each element's emission spectrum is unique. Therefore, spectroscopy can be used to identify elements in matter of unknown composition. Similarly, the emission spectra of molecules can be used in chemical analysis of substances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raman scattering</span> Inelastic scattering of photons by matter

In physics, Raman scattering or the Raman effect is the inelastic scattering of photons by matter, meaning that there is both an exchange of energy and a change in the light's direction. Typically this effect involves vibrational energy being gained by a molecule as incident photons from a visible laser are shifted to lower energy. This is called normal Stokes-Raman scattering.

Quantum optics is a branch of atomic, molecular, and optical physics dealing with how individual quanta of light, known as photons, interact with atoms and molecules. It includes the study of the particle-like properties of photons. Photons have been used to test many of the counter-intuitive predictions of quantum mechanics, such as entanglement and teleportation, and are a useful resource for quantum information processing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photodetector</span> Sensors of light or other electromagnetic energy

Photodetectors, also called photosensors, are sensors of light or other electromagnetic radiation. There are a wide variety of photodetectors which may be classified by mechanism of detection, such as photoelectric or photochemical effects, or by various performance metrics, such as spectral response. Semiconductor-based photodetectors typically use a p–n junction that converts photons into charge. The absorbed photons make electron–hole pairs in the depletion region. Photodiodes and photo transistors are a few examples of photo detectors. Solar cells convert some of the light energy absorbed into electrical energy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleta Ogord</span> Comics character

Aleta Ogord, briefly also known as Starhawk, is a fictional character, a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted in a future of the Marvel Universe and is the adoptive sister of Starhawk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow Thief</span> Comics character

Shadow Thief is the name of three fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first is a recurring foe of Hawkman named Carl Sands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-photon absorption</span> Simultaneous absorption of two photons by a molecule

In atomic physics, two-photon absorption (TPA or 2PA), also called two-photon excitation or non-linear absorption, is the simultaneous absorption of two photons of identical or different frequencies in order to excite an atom or a molecule from one state (usually the ground state), via a virtual energy level, to a higher energy, most commonly an excited electronic state. Absorption of two photons with different frequencies is called non-degenerate two-photon absorption. Since TPA depends on the simultaneous absorption of two photons, the probability of TPA is proportional to the photon dose (D), which is proportional to the square of the light intensity (D ∝ I2); thus it is a nonlinear optical process. The energy difference between the involved lower and upper states of the molecule is equal or smaller than the sum of the photon energies of the two photons absorbed. Two-photon absorption is a third-order process, with absorption cross section typically several orders of magnitude smaller than one-photon absorption cross section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atomic and molecular astrophysics</span> Field of study on atomic and molecular particles in space

Atomic astrophysics is concerned with performing atomic physics calculations that will be useful to astronomers and using atomic data to interpret astronomical observations. Atomic physics plays a key role in astrophysics as astronomers' only information about a particular object comes through the light that it emits, and this light arises through atomic transitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3D optical data storage</span> Storage with three-dimensional resolution for information

3D optical data storage is any form of optical data storage in which information can be recorded or read with three-dimensional resolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quasar (character)</span> Marvel Comics superhero

Quasar is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are noted for having worn the Quantum Bands, advanced ancient alien technology that grants the wearer manipulation of quantum energy.

A single-photon source is a light source that emits light as single particles or photons. Single-photon sources are distinct from coherent light sources (lasers) and thermal light sources such as incandescent light bulbs. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle dictates that a state with an exact number of photons of a single frequency cannot be created. However, Fock states can be studied for a system where the electric field amplitude is distributed over a narrow bandwidth. In this context, a single-photon source gives rise to an effectively one-photon number state.

Photonic molecules are a form of matter in which photons bind together to form "molecules". They were first predicted in 2007. Photonic molecules are formed when individual (massless) photons "interact with each other so strongly that they act as though they have mass". In an alternative definition, photons confined to two or more coupled optical cavities also reproduce the physics of interacting atomic energy levels, and have been termed as photonic molecules.

In quantum computing, quantum memory is the quantum-mechanical version of ordinary computer memory. Whereas ordinary memory stores information as binary states, quantum memory stores a quantum state for later retrieval. These states hold useful computational information known as qubits. Unlike the classical memory of everyday computers, the states stored in quantum memory can be in a quantum superposition, giving much more practical flexibility in quantum algorithms than classical information storage.

References

  1. ↑ University of Melbourne (7 May 2007). "Could Light Behave As A Solid? A New Theory". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  2. ↑ Raftery, J.; Sadri, D.; Schmidt, S.; Türeci, H. E.; Houck, A. A. (8 September 2014). "Observation of a Dissipation-Induced Classical to Quantum Transition". Physical Review X. 4 (3): 031043. arXiv: 1312.2963 . Bibcode:2014PhRvX...4c1043R. doi: 10.1103/physrevx.4.031043 . ISSN   2160-3308.
  3. 1 2 Freeman, David (16 September 2014). "Scientists Say They've Created A Freaky New Form Of Light". The Huffington Post . Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Reuell, Peter (27 September 2013). "Seeing light in a new way". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 Chu, Jennifer (15 February 2018). "Physicists create new form of light". MIT News. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  6. ↑ Firstenberg, Ofer; Peyronel, Thibault; Liang, Qi-Yu; Gorshkov, Alexey V.; Lukin, Mikhail D.; Vuletić, Vladan (25 September 2013). "Attractive photons in a quantum nonlinear medium" (PDF). Nature . 502 (7469). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 71–75. Bibcode:2013Natur.502...71F. doi:10.1038/nature12512. hdl: 1721.1/91605 . ISSN   0028-0836. PMID   24067613. S2CID   1699899.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Hard Light". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  8. ↑ "Meet the Man Behind the Holodeck, Part 1". 25 July 2023.
  9. ↑ The Classroom Gems: What Are Gems? | Steven Universe | Cartoon Network , retrieved 2024-02-05
  10. ↑ "Steven Universe S1E24 "An Indirect Kiss" / Recap". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  11. ↑ "Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) Powers, Abilities, Villains | Marvel". www.marvel.com. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.