While electrons travelling through semiconductors lose energy via heat because of resistance, a similar effect can be seen with light transmission, caused by factors such as unwanted reflection and photon scattering. Prof Gil Refael says a quasiparticle called the ‘topolariton’ could reduce such signal degradation and enhance the stability of the photons as they move along the edges of semiconductors.
The topolariton is described as an emergent particle: one that exhibits some, but not all, of the characteristics of elementary particles. Examples include phonons, solitons and excitons.
When photons and excitons interact, they can form polaritons and the topolariton is said to be a type of polariton that can flow in one direction along the edges of semiconducting quantum wells embedded in optical cavities.
Because topolaritons are part matter and part light, Prof Refael suggests they could be guided and controlled with reflectors or with photonic band-gaps. However, the professor admits it might take some time before practical applications are seen. “We’ll need to create some new interfaces between the photonic and electronic worlds,” he said.
