Trapping a Single Photon: Is it Possible?

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In summary, it is possible to trap a single photon by storing its information in an atomic cloud medium, as demonstrated by the Lena Hau group at Harvard. However, this process may come at a high cost, such as potentially creating a black hole or compromising for a very large orbit radius.
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Hyperreality
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Is it possible to trap a single photon? If yes, at what cost?
 
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Well, you can't reflect a photon of any known matter without destroying the original photon (and creating a new one in its stead). And since it has no electrical charge, you can't affect it with an EM field either. In theory, it should be possible to produce a gravitational field strong enough to get a photon to orbit around the source, but you'll probably get a black hole in the process... unless you're willing to compromise for a very large orbit radius...
 
  • #3
Hyperreality said:
Is it possible to trap a single photon? If yes, at what cost?

As is often the case in many questions involving SR and/or QM, the question becomes ambiguous if one doesn't define it clearly. This is due to certain classical connotations associated with the properties being asked.

If by asking

"is it possible to trap a single photon?"

one means

"can we store the info such as phase, energy, and coherence" of a number of photons for a period of time, and then retransmit those info without any significant loss?"

then the answer is YES. The report from a few years ago by the Lena Hau group at Harvard demonstrated this.[1] Here, they managed to halt the "speed" of light to 0 m/s in an atomic cloud medium.

Zz

[1] C. Liu et al., Nature v.409, p.490 (2001).
 

What is a photon?

A photon is a fundamental particle of light that carries electromagnetic energy. It has zero mass and travels at the speed of light in a vacuum.

Why is trapping a single photon challenging?

Trapping a single photon is challenging because photons are constantly moving at the speed of light, making them difficult to control and manipulate. Additionally, they have very little mass and interact very weakly with matter, making them hard to detect and trap.

Why is trapping a single photon important?

Trapping a single photon is important for various applications in quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum cryptography. It can also help us better understand the nature of light and the fundamental laws of physics.

How can a single photon be trapped?

A single photon can be trapped using specialized devices called optical traps, which use lasers to create a potential well that captures the photon's energy and prevents it from escaping. Another method is to use a material with a high refractive index, which slows down the speed of light and allows the photon to be captured.

Is trapping a single photon currently possible?

Yes, it is currently possible to trap a single photon using advanced techniques and equipment. However, it is still a challenging task and requires precise control and manipulation of light and matter at the quantum level.

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