Can a photon of light become a radio wave?

AI Thread Summary
A photon of visible light cannot be directly transformed into a radio wave due to the significant difference in energy levels. While scattering and the Doppler effect can reduce frequency, they do not facilitate a direct conversion into the radio wave range. Instead, sunlight can be harnessed to generate radio waves through methods such as powering a radio transmitter with solar panels or using a single-photon detector to trigger radio signals. Additionally, laser practices involve energy transitions where higher energy photons can be absorbed and lower energy photons emitted, but this does not equate to direct transformation. Overall, while manipulation of light can lead to radio wave generation, it requires indirect methods rather than a straightforward conversion.
nick978
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Is there a way to change a photon of visible light to a radio wave? I know scattering and doppler effect can reduce frequency but is it possible to reduce the frequency enough to get in the radio wave range?
 
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nick978 said:
Is there a way to change a photon of visible light to a radio wave? I know scattering and doppler effect can reduce frequency but is it possible to reduce the frequency enough to get in the radio wave range?
Sure! That's what this is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background
 
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Good answer. My question is more about if there is a way that we can manipulate light to create radio waves easily. In the sense of taking sunlight, using some science magic and creating radio waves. Or alternatively, using the energy from the sun to create radio waves (through any means)
 
You can use a solar panel to power a radio transmitter.
 
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Or use a single-photon detector to trigger a radio transmitter to send a short pulse.
 
I think that energy differs too much for directly transformation. May you can look on laser practices. On pumping phase we use exited energy levels so a high energy photon can absorbed and a less energy photon can emitted.
 
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