Researchers have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by transforming laser light into a supersolid—a quantum state that exhibits both crystalline solid structure and frictionless fluid flow. Published in Nature, this work marks the first time light has been manipulated into such a state, offering new avenues for quantum research and photonic technologies.
What Is a Supersolid?
A supersolid is a paradoxical quantum phase of matter that combines:
- Solid-like properties: A rigid, ordered crystal lattice structure.
- Superfluid properties: Zero viscosity, enabling unrestricted flow without energy loss.
Previously, supersolids were created only using ultracold atoms near absolute zero. This experiment instead used polaritons—hybrid particles formed by coupling light (photons) with excitons in a semiconductor.
How Was It Created?
The team directed a laser at a gallium arsenide semiconductor etched with microscopic ridges. This interaction generated polaritons, which were confined by the ridges into a structured arrangement. Key steps included:
- Polariton formation: Light-matter coupling in the semiconductor created quasiparticles with dual properties.
- Quantum condensation: At low temperatures, polaritons condensed into a “bound state in the continuum” (BiC), enforcing both spatial order and fluidity.
- Verification: Interferometry and density mapping confirmed the coexistence of crystalline order and superfluidity.
Significance and Applications
This breakthrough resolves long-standing challenges in studying supersolids:
- Stability: Light-based supersolids avoid the extreme cooling required for atomic versions, simplifying experiments.
- Control: The semiconductor platform allows precise manipulation of quantum states.
Potential applications include:
- Quantum computing: Supersolid photons could enable stable qubits resistant to decoherence.
- Advanced optics: Low-loss photonic circuits and energy-efficient light-emitting devices.
- Material science: Insights into quantum phase transitions and exotic matter.
According to researcher Iacopo Carusotto with CNR-INO, “The supersolid behaves like coherent quantum droplets arranged periodically in space, flowing without perturbations—a hallmark of both crystals and superfluids.” Fellow researcher Dario Gerace with the University of Pavia added, “This system bridges fundamental physics and practical applications, offering a controlled way to explore quantum phenomena.”
Future Directions
The team plans to investigate:
- Dynamic properties: How supersolids respond to external stimuli.
- Scaling up: Engineering larger structures for practical use.
- Cross-disciplinary insights: Linking photonic supersolids to other quantum systems.
Their results not only expand our understanding of quantum matter but also open doors to technologies leveraging light’s dual particle-wave nature. By transforming a fundamental energy form into a structured yet fluid state, researchers have unlocked a new research path in physics.
More information is available here.
Image: AI generated
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