Molecule of photons. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Molecule from photons

13.10.2013

For the first time, it was possible to combine photons into a molecule - until now, even theorizing on this topic has caused fierce debate in the scientific community. Physicists Professor Mikhail Lukin of Harvard and Professor Vladan Vuletic of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have actually been able to create a new form of matter from particles of light. The discovery of scientists contradicts decades of conventional wisdom about the nature of light. It has long been believed that photons are massless particles that do not interact with each other. Simply put, two beams of light simply pass through each other. However, the "photonic molecules" created by scientists behave very differently and, in theory, make hitherto unbelievable things possible, such as the lightsaber from Star Wars.

“Most of the properties of light that we know are related to the lack of mass of photons and the fact that they do not interact with each other,” explains Mikhail Lukin. “We have created a special type of medium. In it, photons interact with each other so strongly that "they start acting like they have mass. As a result, the photons are bound together to form molecules. This type of bound photon state has been suggested by theorists for quite some time, but has not yet been observed."

When photons interact, they push against each other and deflect each other. That is, the lightsaber of the Jedi, a solid light pillar, in the light of the discovery of scientists, no longer looks like a stupid notion of science fiction. To force "normal" massless photons to bind to each other, Lukin and his colleagues pumped rubidium atoms into a vacuum chamber and then cooled them with a laser to a temperature several degrees above absolute zero. After that, using extremely weak laser pulses, single photons were sent into a cloud of rubitium atoms.

As the photon enters the cloud of cold atoms, its energy excites the atoms in its path, causing the photon to slow down significantly. The energy of the photon is transferred from atom to atom and the photon loses it, but in the end, it flies out of the cloud, remaining the same light pulse as before entering the cloud.

When a photon exits the cloud, its identity is preserved, as happens with a beam of light in a glass of water. In the case of rubidium atoms, this process is a bit more extreme - the light slows down significantly and loses a lot more energy. However, scientists were surprised by something else: photons came out of the cloud of rubidium atoms together, as one molecule. How are these "molecules" formed and why has no one seen such molecules yet?

The effect by which photons are converted into a special form of matter is called Rydberg blockade. It is based on the fact that when an atom is excited, neighboring atoms cannot be excited to the same degree. In practice, this means that when two photons fly into a cloud of atoms, the first photon excites the atom and is forced to move forward before the second photon excites another nearby atom. Simply put, photons either pull or push each other, that is, they interact with each other like molecules, albeit indirectly (through rubidium atoms). However, when the photons exit the cloud, they exit together, not as single photons.

<< Back: Mobile workstation Eurocom Racer 3W 14.10.2013

>> Forward: Children constructor 13.10.2013

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Sad eyes of a cow 07.02.2003

Researchers at the Agricultural University of Norway took 24 Red Norwegian cows and starved them for 7 hours. Then half of the cows were given food, and the rest were shown food.

After such bullying, the mood of malnourished cows naturally worsened, and scientists were able to begin to fix signs of "grief" of ruminants.

It turned out that the resentment of a hungry cow is expressed in frequent licking of the lips, shaking the head, and also in the fact that the eyes open wider than usual, which makes the whites of the eyes protrude more strongly. Apparently, wide-open eyes are a signal of the cow's psychological stress.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews