In a groundbreaking experiment, scientists have successfully transformed light into a supersolid—a unique state of matter that exhibits properties of both solids and superfluids. To achieve this, researchers directed laser light onto a specially engineered semiconductor platform made of aluminum gallium arsenide. The interaction between the laser and the material produced hybrid particles known as polaritons. These polaritons were confined by the platform's design, leading them to organize into a supersolid structure. This supersolid state is particularly intriguing because it combines the rigid, lattice-like arrangement of a solid with the frictionless flow characteristic of a superfluid. Such a dual nature has been theorized but was previously observed only in ultracold atomic systems. This experiment marks the first time light has been manipulated to exhibit supersolid properties.
Same frequency
More like this
Streamed via Audius · Listen on Audius