Italian Scientists ‘Freeze’ Light In Quantum Discovery: Here’s What You Need To Know

Italian scientists have managed to ‘freeze’ light, proving that it can behave as a supersolid. The research, conducted by physicists and nanotechnologists, marks a significant advancement in quantum mechanics and has been described as “only the beginning” of understanding supersolidity. The findings were published in the prestigious Nature journal on March 5.

Understanding Supersolidity and the ‘Frozen’ Light Phenomenon

A supersolid is an exotic state of matter that maintains a solid’s crystalline structure while also flowing without friction, much like a superfluid. Traditionally, supersolids have only been observed in Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC)—a state where bosons (particles with integer spin) condense into a single quantum state at temperatures near absolute zero.

The research team, led by Italian physicists Antonio Gianfate of CNR Nanotec and Davide Nigro of the University of Pavia, successfully demonstrated that light can be manipulated to exhibit supersolid properties. “This is only the beginning of understanding supersolidity,” they wrote in their research summary.

Rewriting the Rules of Physics

Normally, freezing involves lowering a liquid’s temperature to its freezing point, causing molecules to slow down and form a solid crystalline structure. However, in their experiment, the scientists created supersolid light under highly controlled quantum conditions.

By using a photonic semiconductor platform—where photons behave similarly to electrons—the team manipulated light into forming a supersolid. This experiment defied conventional physics, opening new doors for exploring quantum mechanics.

“At temperatures close to absolute zero, the quantum-mechanical nature of atoms emerges, and exotic phases of matter appear,” the researchers explained. The ability to induce supersolidity in light challenges previously held assumptions about the nature of both energy and matter.

How the Experiment Worked

The team employed a gallium arsenide structure with precisely engineered microscopic ridges. By firing a laser at the structure, they generated polaritons—hybrid light-matter particles—that exhibited supersolid behavior. As the number of photons increased, pairs of photons were pushed into adjacent states to lower the system’s energy, forming satellite condensates.

“These photons form satellite condensates that have opposite nonzero wavenumbers but the same energy (they are isoenergetic),” the researchers explained. “The supersolid state emerges, and a spatial modulation in the density of photons in the system occurs that is characteristic of the supersolid state.”

Implications for Quantum Computing and Advanced Technologies

This discovery is expected to have profound implications for multiple fields, including quantum computing, optical circuits, and photonic devices. Scientists believe that supersolid-based photonic systems could provide a more stable platform for qubits, the fundamental units of quantum information.

Beyond technology, the ability to generate supersolid light paves the way for deeper exploration of light-matter interactions in extreme quantum conditions. Future research will focus on refining and stabilizing these supersolid light formations, potentially leading to next-generation quantum systems.

By bridging the gap between classical and quantum materials, this research reshapes our understanding of light and energy. As scientists continue to explore supersolidity in photonic systems, this breakthrough may redefine physics and open new avenues in material science and quantum mechanics.

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