Scientists from Italy’s National Research Council have achieved the impossible by turning light into a solid, creating a rare state of matter known as supersolids. This groundbreaking work, reported in The New Scientist magazine, combines the properties of solids and superfluids, allowing the material to maintain structural rigidity while flowing continuously without slowing down.
At the core of this research are hybrid particles called polaritons, which are a combination of photons and electrons. By manipulating the interactions of these particles, the researchers were able to make them coalesce into a supersolid state. This new mechanism for forming supersolids offers exciting opportunities for studying this intriguing phase of matter, compared to traditional methods using ultracold atomic condensates.
While the concept of light as a solid may be difficult to comprehend, the researchers have shown that at a deep, particle level, light can exhibit the properties of a supersolid. This innovative work paves the way for further exploration in the field of condensed matter physics, demonstrating the potential for new discoveries and advancements in our understanding of matter.
