Breakthrough enables new control of light properties

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland have made a significant advancement in light technology. Their discovery, announced on March 18, proves that scientists can manipulate the properties of light by introducing the element of time. This breakthrough is the result of work led by Dr. Marcello Ferrera and his team. The team focused on a type of nanomaterial known as transparent conducting oxides (TCOs). These materials, used in solar panels and touchscreens, have unique qualities that allow them to alter the way light travels. When shaped into ultra-thin films, TCOs can control the speed at which light moves. The researchers successfully controlled TCOs using ultra-fast light pulses to direct and energize photons, the particles that make up light. This discovery could result in faster data processing capabilities, important for fields such as optical computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology. Dr. Ferrera highlighted the potential this research has for improving data centers and enhancing AI technologies. He noted that the ability to handle larger amounts of information with less energy could revolutionize computational speeds. Dr. Wallace Jaffray and doctoral researcher Sven Stengel have also contributed to the project. The team’s work addresses a long-standing challenge in all-optical technology—finding materials that can change rapidly under low-energy conditions. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Photonics and have garnered attention from other scientists worldwide. Experts like Vladimir Shalaev and Alexandra Boltasseva from Purdue University emphasized the revolutionary nature of these materials. They believe this research can finally enable significant advancements in manipulating optical signals quickly and efficiently.