Researchers have successfully turned light into a ‘supersolid’ for the first time, opening doors for new insights into unexpected quantum states of matter and practical applications of quantum technology.

This achievement marks a significant achievement in the field of condensed matter physics. It builds upon earlier work by CNR scientist Danielle Sanvitto, who demonstrated over a decade ago that light could behave like a fluid. Sanvitto worked alongside Dimitrios Trypogeorgos from Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) and a team of researchers to create what they called a quantum “supersolid.”

Supersolids are unique materials with zero viscosity and a structure resembling conventional crystals such as those found in table salt. According to NewScientist, unlike typical materials that adhere to the laws of physics, supersolids exist primarily in the quantum realm.

Thus far, these materials were only achievable through controlled experiments involving atoms cooled to extremely low temperatures. These conditions make quantum effects more prominent and observable.

Instead of ultracold atoms, the new experiment utilized a semiconductor known as aluminum gallium arsenide. A laser was directed at a specifically patterned piece of the semiconductor, which included narrow ridges. The interaction between the light and the semiconductor led to the formation of hybrid particles called polaritons.

The narrow ridges constrained how the quasiparticles could move and their energy levels, allowing the polaritons to coalesce into a supersolid state.

One of the challenges that the team faced was strengthening their findings as this required measuring enough properties of the new supersolid to prove it exhibited characteristics of both a solid and fluid with no viscosity.

Though the team has shown that they produced a supersolid, additional analyses are necessary to fully comprehend its properties. Trypogeorgos suggested that perhaps these forms of matter could be more manageable than those generated from atoms.

According to Sanvitto, a supersolid made from light has never been created or experimentally validated before. Alberto Bramati from Sorbonne University in France also emphasized the importance of the study, stating that it contributes to a broader understanding of how quantum matter can change states through phase transition.