Scientists Achieve Breakthrough in Light Manipulation Using Time Dimension

Heriot-Watt and Purdue researchers pioneer time-varying media, unlocking transformative potential for photonic technology and advanced computing.

The research demonstrates control over light's speed, direction, and energy by adding the dimension of time, a concept theorized for decades.
Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), ultra-thin nanomaterials, were key to this breakthrough, enabling unprecedented manipulation of photons using ultra-fast light pulses.
Published in Nature Photonics, the findings introduce a new class of time-varying media capable of extraordinary light transformations, such as amplification and quantum state creation.
The discovery promises significant advancements in optical computing, AI, quantum technologies, and ultra-fast physics, with faster data processing and reduced energy consumption.
The project, a collaboration between Heriot-Watt University and Purdue University, was funded by a £6.5 million UK-Canada quantum science research initiative.