Scientists forced particles of light to act like electrons for the first time
Researchers successfully manipulated photons to mimic the behavior of electrons within a magnetic field, overcoming a fundamental law of physics that usually prevents light particles from interacting with magnetism.
Photons naturally lack an electrical charge, meaning they typically ignore magnetic fields that easily push and pull electrons. However, scientists recently used a complex arrangement of silicon resonators to trick light into mimicking this electronic movement. This breakthrough creates a synthetic magnetic field for light, forcing photons to flow in one direction along the edges of a material.
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