Creating Light From The Absence

A group of scientists from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden successfully creates light out of nothing. They create light in empty space, a space that has been trusted completely empty. Next week, the scientists will present their research findings at a conference in Padua, Italy. Currently, the paper has not been reviewed already uploaded to the website arXiv.org.

Basic theories used in this study is complicated, but very interesting to observe. Based on the webiste publication in Nature last week, this research focuses on quantum mechanics theory which states that a vacuum is not really empty, but consists of particles that exist only in a short time, called virtual particles.

If two small mirror is placed very close together in a vacuum, then the number of virtual particles between the two mirrors will be lower than outside it. As a consequence, will create an attractive force between the mirror that held it to each other. This style can be used to produce particle "real" in the context of light called photons.

For decades, scientists believe that the same effect can be done using a mirror driven. With that step, the mirror can absorb energy from the virtual particle and particle mengemisikannya again in the form of "real". However, this step is almost impossible because the velocity near the speed of light reflection is required.

In the experiments prove the theory, the researchers named Per Delsing and colleagues deal with the impossibility of using a device called a superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) are very sensitive to magnetic fields. Researchers then 'spend' SQUID magnetic field so that functions like a mirror moving with a speed of 5 percent the speed of light.

As a result, a photon of light is really created. Based on the analysis, the frequency of light waves that created half-frequency SQUID movement. Although his paper has not been re ditunjau, among scientists praised the success of this. As an experimental physicist at Harvard University, Federico Capasso, "This is great progress."

Because the number of photons of light that is created through this experiment is still small, the application results of this experiment was still in the clouds. But, was launched in Physorg.com, stating, if proven successful, the results of this experiment could help find something more useful, for example the production of energy in empty space so that it can be used to support the exploration of the universe.