Phys.org October 7, 2021
Researchers in the Netherlands investigated the Bose-Einstein condensation of a photonic Bose gas in an environment with controlled dissipation and feedback. They created a micro-size mirror with channels in which photons flow like a liquid. They showed that by adjusting their frequency Bose-Einstein condensates naturally try to avoid particle loss and destructive interference in their environment. Their experiments revealed physical mechanisms involved in the formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate, which typically remain hidden when the system is close to thermal equilibrium. They demonstrated the effect even at room temperature. Their measurements offer a highly systematic picture of Bose-Einstein condensation under non-equilibrium conditions. The photonic microstructures now presented could be used as basic units in a system that solve mathematical problems like the Traveling Salesman problem…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Photon Bose–Einstein condensation in an open Mach–Zehnder interferometer. Credit: Nature Communications volume 12, Article number: 5749 (2021)Â