Light stands still in a deformed crystal

AMOLF researchers, in collaboration with Kobus Kuipers from Delft University of Technology, succeeded to bring light waves to a halt by deforming the two-dimensional photonic crystal that contains them. The researchers showed that even a subtle deformation can have a substantial effect on photons in the crystal. This resembles the effect that a magnetic field has on electrons. “This principle offers a new approach to slow down light fields and thereby enhance their strength. Realizing this on a chip is particularly important for many applications”, says AMOLF-group leader Ewold Verhagen. The researchers publish their findings in the scientific journal Nature Photonics on April 23rd (online). Simultaneously, a research team from Pennsylvania State University publishes an article in this journal about how they demonstrated – independently from the Dutch team – an identical effect.