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Optical physics

Optical physics

Light waves made to collide as if they were massive objects

14 Sep 2023 Isabelle Dumé
Schematic drawing of a photon collision at a time interface, showing two waves propagating across the faces of two clocks and a burst of yellow where they meet
Incoming: Schematic drawing of a photon collision at a time interface, which is a metamaterial that can undergo abrupt and large changes in its electromagnetic properties. (Courtesy: Anna Umana, Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center)
Photons can collide as if they were massive objects thanks to metamaterials known as time interfaces

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