Researchers at CNR Nanotech in Italy have achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum physics by creating a superlido state using light for the first time. This discovery opens new avenues for exploring materials that exhibit both solid and superfluid characteristics. Historically, superlido states have only been observed in ultra-cold atomic gases, but this new study demonstrates that such phenomena can also occur in photonic systems.
In quantum mechanics, unique states of matter emerge at temperatures approaching absolute zero, one of which flows without friction while retaining rigidity—a property theorized in the 1960s and confirmed experimentally only in 2017. The creation of traditional superlidos necessitates extreme cooling and controlled atomic interactions, but by utilizing light, researchers have created a more accessible method to investigate this quantum phase.
The research involved a semiconductor structure made from gallium arsenide that manipulated the movement of photons. As photons were introduced, they formed a condensate at the lowest energy level, but interactions among them caused the creation of “satellite condensates,” mimicking solid structures while maintaining a liquid-like flow.
To validate this new superlido state, the researchers confirmed that the condensate possessed both a periodic spatial arrangement, resembling a crystal, and the frictionless flow of a superfluid. The findings suggest that photonic systems may simplify the study of superlidos and contribute to advancements in quantum computing, optical communication, and material design.
This research highlights the potential of designed quantum materials and could lead to a deeper understanding of the quantum properties of matter, initiating further exploration of new quantum states and their implications. The findings were published in the journal Nature.
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