荔枝视频

A group of 荔枝视频 quantum scientists have discovered a unique property of diamond that was once thought impossible.

Dr. Sigurd Fl氓gan, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in the , and team work in the field of nonlinear optics, which studies how intense light interacts with matter when the material鈥檚 response is not directly proportional to the light鈥檚 intensity. This field is crucial for applications in telecommunications, advanced microscopy, and laser technology.

The group , the conversion of the light of colour to another by doubling the frequency and halving the wavelength of the light wave, in diamond.

鈥淭his has not been allowed in diamond,鈥� says Fl氓gan. 鈥淭his is a fundamental discovery about the properties of diamonds.鈥�

Fl氓gan says the symmetrical crystal structure of pristine diamonds has prevented diamond from being used as a second-order nonlinear optical material before.

However, the team has discovered that this symmetrical crystal structure can be broken through charged crystal defects. This unlocks a whole range of new uses for diamond as a material.

鈥淲e have shown the fundamental property,鈥� explains Fl氓gan. 鈥淣ow the pipeline is open to study all the different applications.鈥�

Quantum technology can lead to new insights on materials

The Quantum Nanophotonics Lab is led by Dr. Paul Barclay, PhD, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the and director of the .

鈥淨uantum technology device development can lead to insights into the fundamental properties of materials like diamond,鈥� says Barclay. 鈥淎nd vice versa: newly discovered properties can one day be harnessed for quantum tech.鈥�

With this new discovery, things like optical switches and modulators can be fabricated directly from diamond. These optical components would be able to withstand large optical powers and could therefore find applications in data centres, interferometers or in high-power laser fabrication techniques.

It鈥檚 an ideal discovery to make, as Fl氓gan says diamond has thermal properties that allow it to withstand high amounts of energy before breaking down and it can dissipate heat well. 

鈥淚n some applications, you wouldn鈥檛 be able to use any material other than diamond,鈥� says Fl氓gan. 

The team used lab grown and commercially available diamonds in their study to have the specific crystal defect they were looking to test, but the same defects could conceivably be found in natural diamonds. 

Diamond has been well studied for use in the quantum field, but its use in nonlinear optics has been poorly understood until now. 

鈥淚t opens the door for new lines of research,鈥� says Fl氓gan.