X-rays Reveal a New Phase of Matter

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According to IEEE Spectrum, X-rays can reveal a new phase of matter called the “light-matter hybrid”. This phase is signaled by a deviation in the behavior of electrons, which correlates with the power of the radiation. 

In 2022, scientists from two national laboratories used X-rays to measure how spins move when disturbed. They used Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source to answer a decades-old question. 

X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from 10 nanometers to 10 picometers. They are widely used in medical diagnostics and material science

In a scientific breakthrough that could reshape our understanding of how light interacts with matter, researchers from the Attoscience and Ultrafast Optics group at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) in Barcelona, Spain have discovered a new phase of matter, aptly named a “light-matter hybrid”.

The study revealed that by varying the intensity of infrared light, the electrons’ properties correlated with the power of the radiation. This deviation in behavior signaled the material entering a distinct phase, termed the “light-matter hybrid

A study found that changing the intensity of infrared light changes the properties of electrons in relation to the power of the radiation

Infrared is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is invisible to the human eye. It is located in the spectral band between microwaves and visible light, and has wavelengths ranging from 750 nm to 1000 μm. 

Infrared radiation is a type of invisible radiation that has less energy than red light. It is emitted by any body with a temperature above absolute zero (-273.15 °C).

According to a study, changing the intensity of infrared light changes the properties of electrons in relation to the power of the radiation

Here are some other effects of changing the intensity of infrared light: 

  • Penetration Higher intensity infrared light penetrates human tissue more than lower intensity light. 
  • Electron ejection Increasing the intensity of incident light increases the number of electrons ejected and the maximum kinetic energy of the ejected electrons. 
  • Energy absorption Increasing the intensity of incident light increases the energy absorbed by individual electrons. 

Infrared light also boosts electrons as they are ejected from a surface

Infrared radiation (IR) can cause electrons to be ejected from a material if the energy of the photons is sufficient. However, IR light is usually not energetic enough to excite electrons. Instead, it causes the chemical bonds within molecules to vibrate in different ways

Infrared radiation can also cause the photoelectric effect. The photoelectric effect occurs when a material emits electrons upon being exposed to light. However, infrared radiation typically does not have sufficient energy to cause the photoelectric effect. 

Infrared radiation can also: 

  • Speed up or slow down electrons When intense infrared light hits a platinum sample, it can speed up or slow down electrons that are ejected by a separate ultraviolet light. 
  • Increase the vibration of chemical bonds When matter is exposed to infrared light, kinetic energy is absorbed, increasing the temperature of the matter. The infrared light exposure also causes the bonds of the molecules present in the matter to bend and vibrate. 
  • Promote local blood circulation and reduce muscle tension Infrared radiation can be used in traditional medical applications, such as the relief of muscle pain and tension, and the treatment of autoimmune diseases or wound-healing disorders.

A light-matter hybrid is a hybrid particle that is part light and part matter. The quanta of hybrid light-matter states are called “polaritons”. 

Light-matter hybridization is achieved by placing molecules or a material in a resonant optical cavity. Confining a material in an optical cavity can produce new hybrid light-matter states. 

Light-matter interactions are important for areas ranging from spectroscopy to sensing to quantum technologies.

Here are some basic concepts about light and matter: 

  • Light Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that has no mass and can move through a vacuum. 
  • Matter Matter is made up of particles like atoms and molecules, which have mass and occupy space. Matter can exist in different states, like solid, liquid, or gas. Matter is involved in the macroscopic interactions we see every day. 
  • Light-matter interactions Light-matter interactions are a result of an oscillating electromagnetic field interacting with charged particles in the matter. When light interacts with matter, it can cause the electrons in the material to become excited and move to higher energy levels.

The study of light and matter is called optics. Optics is a branch of physics that studies the properties and behavior of light, including how it interacts with matter. It also involves the construction of instruments that use or detect light

Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between light emission and absorption and matter. It involves splitting light into its constituent wavelengths, which is similar to how a prism splits light into a rainbow. 

Spectroscopy has had a dramatic impact on the modern world, including providing the science behind magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines

In physics, light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by the human eye. Light has the properties of both a wave and a particle. It travels in straight lines and propagates through empty space at approximately 300,000 kilometers per second

Light is made up of tiny packets of energy called photons.  These photons are massless elementary particles that represent the quanta of electromagnetic field.  Photons are produced when the atoms of an object are heated. The electrons become excited from the heat and produce extra energy, which emits in the form of a photon. 

Light interacts with matter by transmission, absorption, or scattering. Light can be reflected by a mirror, refracted by a lens, or absorbed by the object. 

The study of light, known as optics, is an important research area in modern physics.

Hybrid light-matter states are quanta called “polaritons”. They are created by placing molecules or a material in a resonant optical cavity

Light and matter can interact in various ways: 

  • Absorption: Matter can take in light. 
  • Emission: Matter can give off light. 
  • Transmission: Matter can allow light to pass through. 
  • Reflection: Matter can cause light to bounce off. 
  • Refraction: Matter can cause light to change speed and direction. 

Light and matter can interact when the frequency of light matches the natural frequency of a molecule. This interaction is known as resonance. 

Hybrid light-matter particles are part light and part matter. They can form even when light is not present

The light-matter hybrid is a new phase of matter that occurs when electrons interact with intense radiation. In this state, the electrons’ resistance decreases significantly, exhibiting properties similar to superconductivity

The light-matter hybrid is achieved by placing molecules or a material in a resonant optical cavity under the right conditions. For example, a microwave cavity with two mirrors can concentrate a photonic field around a circuit. 

Light and matter interact with each other. Matter can absorb, emit, transmit, reflect, and refract light. When light is absorbed, the added energy increases the temperature of matter

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