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2019-09-05 02:17 |
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A previously unknown type of light wave has been discovered by researchers, based on the pioneering work of a 19th century Scottish scientist. ]{
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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. ;c -3g]
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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. @f!Ak zI
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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. fIocq
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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. 3p*-tBOO
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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. s-W[ .r|
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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. kL S(w??T
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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. r,N[ )@
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