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Italian scientists have created the world's first "supersolid" made of light, transforming it into a new state of matter with unique properties.   

What is a supersolid?

It is an exotic state of matter that combines the properties of both solids and superfluids.

It has the ordered, rigid structure of a solid, with particles arranged in a periodic pattern, and simultaneously shows the frictionless flow characteristic of a superfluid. This unique combination challenges conventional understanding of matter states.

Previously, supersolids had only been observed in ultracold atomic gases cooled to near absolute zero, but the recent creation of a supersolid from light offers a more accessible platform for studying these properties.

How did scientists create a supersolid?

The research team achieved this by manipulating light within a specially designed semiconductor nanostructure. They used a gallium arsenide platform implanted with microscopic ridges.

By releasing a laser at this structure, they generated hybrid light-matter particles known as polaritons.

As the concentration of polaritons increased, they caused a phenomenon known as parametric scattering, in which some photons were pushed into adjacent energy states, forming "satellite condensate," which allows them to flow without friction, similar to a superfluid.

Potential applications of this discovery

• Quantum Computing: Supersolid light could play a crucial role in developing more stable and efficient quantum bits (qubits), which are the fundamental building blocks of quantum computers.
• Materials Science: This discovery could lead to the creation of novel materials with unique optical and mechanical properties.
• Energy Storage: The ability to manipulate light at this level could lead to advancements in energy storage technologies.
• Optical Communication: Controlling the quantum states of photons in new ways might unlock novel technologies in signal processing and quantum information transfer.
• Light-Emitting Devices: Researchers believe this could lead to the development of new types of light-emitting devices with unique characteristics.
• Fundamental Physics: Studying this new form of supersolidity will help scientists gain a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics and the fundamental properties of light and matter.

Source: 

ndtv