Can Infrared Photons Enter Nanotubes?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether medium range infrared photons can enter nanotubes, exploring the interaction between light and the nanoscale dimensions of the tubes. Participants examine theoretical and conceptual aspects, drawing parallels with sound waves and discussing the behavior of photons in confined spaces.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the diameter of a typical nanotube is much smaller than the wavelength of visible or infrared light, implying that photons cannot be confined within the tube.
  • Another participant draws an analogy with sound waves in a guitar, questioning whether the size of the photon relative to the nanotube could allow for similar interactions.
  • A reference is provided discussing the shaping of infrared light wavefronts through small openings, which may imply potential interactions with nanotubes.
  • One participant mentions that plasmons in carbon nanotubes can be excited by infrared light, raising questions about the relevance of this phenomenon to the original question.
  • There is a discussion about the nature of photons and their position observability compared to electrons, with some uncertainty about how photons behave in confined spaces.
  • A later reply indicates that the quote regarding light may be treating it semi-classically, suggesting complexities in understanding light behavior in the near field limit.
  • Another participant speculates that the electromagnetic field of a photon may become distorted as it moves through a nanotube, similar to sound waves in a guitar.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether infrared photons can enter nanotubes, with some arguing against the possibility based on physical dimensions, while others propose analogies and potential interactions that suggest more complexity. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in understanding the behavior of photons in confined spaces, including the dependence on definitions of position and the complexities of electromagnetic field interactions.

Bruce Haawkins
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Can a medium range infrared photon enter a nonotube
 
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A typical nanotube has a diameter much smaller than the wavelength of visible or infrared light, so I don't think that there can be a situation that can be described as such a photon being confined inside the tube. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
What about a gutar the sound wave is much larger than the diameter of the hole in the sound box yet the air particles are smaller. Is it not the same for a photon
 
I found this on the internet "In this work, we further develop this idea by shaping the wavefront of the infrared light (at a wavelength of 1064 nm) passing through a 180-nm-radius hole that is surrounded by well-designed groove patterns into predesignated complex patterns such as Latin letters"
 
See:
https://www.nature.com/articles/nphoton.2015.123
In the near field, plasmons in CNTs can be excited by infrared light (excitation wavelength 6-10μm). I don't know if this counts. Photonics isn't really my area.
Bruce Haawkins said:
I found this on the internet "In this work, we further develop this idea by shaping the wavefront of the infrared light (at a wavelength of 1064 nm) passing through a 180-nm-radius hole that is surrounded by well-designed groove patterns into predesignated complex patterns such as Latin letters"
Where on the internet did you find this?
 
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Does a photon even have a position observable in the way how an electron has one? It's possible to create an electron wavepacket that is localized inside some boundaries, but that kind of a wavepacket can't have a single de Broglie wavelength. With the quanta of the electromagnetic field, the situation is even more difficult.
 
hilbert2 said:
Does a photon even have a position observable in the way how an electron has one?
No, but I think the quote in post 4 is treating light (semi-)classically. Without a reference, I can't say for sure, but I do know that light does funky things in the near field limit.
 
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I was thinking as the sound wave gets destorted as it moves thru the hole in the gutar, mabe the electromagintic field of the photon gets simalarly destorted
 

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