In a rare occurrence, physics made it possible to control the fastest travelling element - light. Italian scientists have managed to freeze the light, as per reports. 

A recent study published in a British weekly journal reportedly revealed that light can exhibit ‘supersolid behavior’— a unique state of matter that flows without friction while retaining a solid-like structure. 

The research, led by Antonio Gianfate from CNR Nanotec and Davide Nigro from the University of Pavia, marks a significant step in understanding supersolidity in light. The scientists described their findings as “just the beginning” of this exploration, as per reports.

In what can be termed as ‘manipulating photons under controlled quantum conditions’,  the scientists demonstrated that light, too, can exhibit this behaviour.

(A photon is a bundle of electromagnetic energy which is massless, and travel at the speed of light)

How did scientists freeze light?

As we know, freezing involves lowering a liquid’s temperature until it becomes solid. 

In this experiment, the researchers reportedly took a different approach, creating a supersolid state in light using advanced quantum techniques. 

They worked with a semiconductor platform where photons, the fundamental particles of light, behaved similarly to electrons.

Using a gallium arsenide (used in various applications like lasers, LEDs, and high-speed electronics) structure with microscopic ridges, they fired a laser to produce hybrid light-matter particles known as polaritons, as per reports. 

As the photon count increased, a pattern known as satellite condensates emerged. These condensates possessed the same energy but opposite wavenumbers, creating a distinctive spatial structure— a defining feature of supersolidity.

In future, according to reports, this can help in more stable quantum bits which would in turn help the field of quantum computing.

According to researchers, quantum effects emerge at temperatures near absolute zero.