At a Glance
- Chemists have discovered a novel phenomenon in which photons acquire significant momentum when confined to nanoscale spaces in silicon, challenging our understanding of light-matter interaction.
- The research sheds light on the potential of structured silicon to emit detectable light when exposed to visible radiation. Scientists have puzzled over this phenomenon for decades.
- The study builds on historical breakthroughs, such as Arthur Compton’s discovery of light’s dual wave-particle nature. It introduces the concept of electronic Raman scattering, driven by structural disorder in nanoscale silicon crystals.
- Experiments involving silicon glass samples with varying degrees of clarity revealed how electronic, optical, and thermal properties varied at the nanometer scale, emphasizing the critical role of photon momentum in light-matter interaction.
- The discovery has significant implications for optoelectronics, potentially enhancing the efficiency of solar energy conversion devices and light-emitting materials and opening new avenues for practical applications in light-matter interaction.
A team of chemists at the University of California, Irvine, has made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the interaction between light and matter. The discovery sheds light on a previously unknown phenomenon that could have far-reaching implications for various technological advancements, including solar power systems, light-emitting diodes, and semiconductor lasers. The research, published in the journal ACS Nano, reveals how photons, the fundamental particles of light, can acquire significant momentum when confined to nanoscale spaces in silicon. This finding challenges our understanding of light and matter interaction.
Senior author Dmitry Fishman, an adjunct professor of chemistry at UC Irvine, highlighted the significance of this discovery, particularly in the context of silicon, a crucial component in modern electronics. While silicon is widely used in electronics, its potential in optoelectronics has been limited due to its poor optical properties. However, the researchers demonstrated that when silicon is structured at the nanoscale, it can emit detectable light when exposed to visible radiation, a phenomenon that has puzzled scientists for decades.
The study draws on historical scientific breakthroughs, such as Arthur Compton’s discovery in 1923, which established the dual wave-particle nature of light and led to the Nobel Prize in Physics. Building on this foundation, the researchers showed that visible light confined to nanoscale silicon crystals produces a similar optical interaction in semiconductors, akin to Compton scattering but observed for visible light. This phenomenon, known as electronic Raman scattering, is driven by structural disorder and represents a departure from conventional vibrational Raman scattering observed in crystalline semiconductors.
The experiments conducted by the research team involved the production of silicon glass samples with varying degrees of clarity, allowing them to observe how electronic, optical, and thermal properties varied at the nanometer scale. The findings underscore the critical role of photon momentum in light-matter interaction, challenging existing paradigms and paving the way for new applications in optoelectronics. The potential implications of this discovery extend to enhancing the efficiency of solar energy conversion devices and light-emitting materials, offering a new frontier in the study of light-matter interaction and its practical applications.
References
- Kharintsev, S. S., Battalova, E. I., Noskov, A. I., Merham, J., Potma, E. O., & Fishman, D. A. (2024). Photon-Momentum-Enabled Electronic Raman Scattering in Silicon Glass. ACS Nano, 18(13), 9557–9565. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c12666
- University of California Irvine. (2024, May 7). Research team discovers new property of light. Phys.Org; University of California Irvine. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-team-property.html
