Researchers from AMOLF and Delft University of Technology have demonstrated a new technique to stop light waves using magnetic fields at the nanoscale. They deformed a two-dimensional photonic crystal, which is an array of tiny holes in silicon that light can pass through. By precisely disrupting the regular pattern of the crystal, they were able to confine photons in place, similar to how electrons behave in a magnetic field. This created stationary “Landau levels” that light waves cannot propagate through.
The goal was to manipulate light at the nanoscale for applications like efficient nanophotonic chips. Normally magnetic fields only affect charged particles like electrons, but not photons. However, deforming the photonic crystal mimicked the effects of a magnetic field on light. The researchers were able to both stop light waves and generate different types of effective magnetic fields within the crystal by varying the deformation pattern.
Researchers at Penn State University independently achieved similar results using a different method. Being able to confine and concentrate light at the nanoscale through this “magnetic field-like” approach opens up possibilities for lasers, quantum light sources, optical computing and more. This discovery represents an important step toward controlling light at small scales needed for future nanophotonic devices.
Source: The Brighter Side of News
