Scientists have created an optical device capable of mimicking black holes and the still hypothetical white holes. This system could revolutionize our understanding of the Universe and lead to innovative technologies.
Double-prism device with thin film between them, depicted as a dark plane absorbing light, mimicking a gravitational black hole.
Credit: Nina Vaidya (University of Southampton)
This device, inspired by cosmic phenomena, operates on the principle of coherent perfect absorption. Depending on the light's polarization, it can either completely absorb it or reject it, thus reproducing the behavior of black holes and white holes. This breakthrough, published in
Advanced Photonics, opens unprecedented perspectives in physics and engineering.
The team used an ultra-thin absorbing material to create this phenomenon. By adjusting the polarization of incoming light, the device switches between absorption and total reflection. This flexibility allows studying astrophysical concepts in a controlled setting while envisioning practical applications.
Nina Vaidya, professor at the University of Southampton, explains that this device serves as a bridge between cosmic physics and nanoscale technologies. It enables exploration of physical principles repeated at different scales, from black holes to optical devices.
Experiments confirmed the device's ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves as black holes or white holes would. These results could lead to advances in fields like energy conversion or stealth technologies.
This device represents a significant step toward mastering light-matter interactions. It offers not only a tool to study the Universe but also enormous potential for future technological innovations.
Astronomical gravitational black holes swallow everything crossing their event horizon. Their counterpart, the white hole, rejects everything, and it's assumed its event horizon cannot be crossed from the outside. "Optical black and white holes" absorb and reject all light depending on its polarization.
Credit: University of Southampton
The research, published in
Advanced Photonics, demonstrates how black hole physics can be reproduced in the laboratory. This discovery could have major implications for materials science and optics.
How does coherent perfect absorption work?
Coherent perfect absorption is a phenomenon where light waves interact in a way to be completely absorbed by a material. This requires perfect synchronization between the phases of incoming and reflected waves.
This principle relies on constructive interference of light waves, which amplifies absorption to the point of canceling out any reflection. It's crucial for applications like optical devices and energy conversion systems.
Mastering this phenomenon allows designing materials capable of finely controlling light, paving the way for advanced technologies in photonics and renewable energy.
What is a white hole in astrophysics?
A white hole is a theoretical solution to Einstein's general relativity equations, considered the opposite of a black hole. While a black hole absorbs everything crossing its event horizon, a white hole would completely reject matter and light.
This concept remains hypothetical, as no white hole has been observed in the Universe. It raises fundamental questions about the nature of time and space, particularly in the context of wormhole theories.
Optical devices like the one developed by Nina Vaidya's team offer a way to study these phenomena in the laboratory by reproducing their effects on light.