An international team, including researchers from Ikerbasque and the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), has achieved a significant scientific breakthrough through a key discovery that could aid in the detection of dark matter. Despite being crucial in explaining cosmic phenomena, dark matter has eluded detection through conventional means, as it does not interact with light or ordinary matter. This groundbreaking research, published in the prestigious journal Science, marks a milestone in the study of topological materials and paves the way for advancements in photonics and robust communication systems.
According to a prominent theory, dark matter may be composed of hypothetical particles known as axions. These particles, theorized in the 1970s, are believed to have formed during the early stages of the universe, but detecting them is exceedingly difficult due to their minimal interaction with their surroundings. However, it is thought that they could transform into photons under strong magnetic fields, a process that would be definitive for their detection.
This international team achieved a significant milestone by demonstrating that photons (particles of light) can mimic the behavior of axions when passing through specially designed three-dimensional crystalline structures. These crystals allow light of specific wavelengths to travel exclusively along their edges and in a single direction, without losses or interference, bypassing obstacles with ease. This movement replicates the theoretical behavior of axions and represents a major advance in the experimental investigation of dark matter. The study's findings could also enhance robust data transmission and quantum computing, as this property is essential for reliable data transfer.
According to Chiara Devescovi and Antonio Morales, DIPC researchers who contributed to the theoretical work, “This research not only proves the existence of a new photonic material but also establishes a novel way to control and utilize light in three dimensions. The experimental observation of axion-like behavior in photonic crystals provides significant insight into fundamental physics and lays the groundwork for the development of next-generation technologies.”
Beyond photonic communications, “this discovery could offer new experimental platforms to explore the electrodynamics of axions and other fundamental principles of physics, such as braiding in photonic crystals. This research highlights the importance of international collaboration in addressing complex scientific challenges,” adds Aitzol Garcia-Etxarri, an Ikerbasque researcher, and Maia Garcia Vergniory, another Ikerbasque researcher at DIPC and professor at the University of Sherbrooke, who led the work at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC).
Bibliographic reference
Gui-Geng Liu, Subhaskar Mandal, Xiang Xi, Qiang Wang, Chiara Devescovi, Antonio Morales-Pérez, Ziyao Wang, Linyun Yang, Rimi Banerjee, Yang Long, Yan Meng, Peiheng Zhou, Zhen Gao8, Yidong Chong, Aitzol García-Etxarri, Maia G. Vergniory, Baile Zhang. Photonic Axion Insulator. Science 387, (2024).DOI: 10.1126/science.adr523
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