| mang2004 |
2019-09-05 02:17 |
Eminent scientist’s theories aid light wave find [*p;+&+/ZM
\-pwA j?
'g)f5n a[
A previously unknown type of light wave has been discovered by researchers, based on the pioneering work of a 19th century Scottish scientist. PL{lYexJ
[|oG}'Xz
Equations developed by renowned mathematician and physicist James Clerk Maxwell have helped to reveal how crystals can be manipulated to produce a distinctive form of light wave. d{JI]
!
XYuX+&XW/
The phenomena – recently named Dyakonov-Voigt waves – could have a range of useful applications, such as improving biosensors used to screen blood samples or developing fibre optic circuits that transfer data more efficiently. M$%ON>K q
\tYImh
Wave discovery P"^Yx8 L#
<q$Tk ,
Scientists and engineers from the University of Edinburgh and Pennsylvania State University made the discovery by analysing how light – which travels in the form of waves – interacts with certain naturally occurring or man-made crystals. jH9PD8D\
b4cT n 6
They found that Dyakonov-Voigt waves are produced at a specific region – known as an interface – where the crystals meet another material, such as oil or water. 2PyuM=(Wt
+bLP+]7oZ
These waves can be produced only using certain types of crystal whose optical properties depend on the direction in which light passes through them, researchers say. W ,6q1
Rf8Obk<
Original equations W9Azp8)p]
y EfAa 6
The team identified the waves’ unique properties using mathematical models that incorporated equations developed by James Clerk Maxwell. Since the mid-1800s, research on how light interacts with crystals has built on the work of Maxwell, who studied at the University of Edinburgh from the age of 16. GqL&hbpi
>W] Wc4 \
Dyakonov-Voigt waves, named after two leading scientists, diminish as they move away from the interface – a process called decay – and travel only in a single direction, the team found. Other types of so-called surface waves decay more quickly and travel in multiple directions. /C Xg$%\
1[O cZ CS
|
|