Could mixing light wavelengths effect absorption, and emissi

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential effects of mixing light wavelengths on the absorption and emission processes of materials, particularly focusing on whether such mixing could influence the translucency of solid objects. Participants explore theoretical implications related to electron excitation and energy levels in various materials, including carbon and glass.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that mixing red light with other electromagnetic (EM) radiation could allow electrons to transmit rather than absorb the red light, potentially making a solid object slightly translucent.
  • Another participant mentions that while multiple wavelengths can affect absorption, high intensity is typically required, referencing nonlinear optics and spectral hole burning.
  • A participant proposes that timing bursts of red light could coincide with electrons in higher energy states, possibly allowing for transmission instead of excitation.
  • One response argues against the idea that electrons can skip multiple energy levels in one transition due to selection rules, asserting that this would not lead to transparency.
  • Another participant discusses the energy levels in carbon compared to glass, suggesting that differences in atomic structure might affect light transmission properties.
  • There is a question about whether a sufficient population inversion could be achieved to enhance light transmission through a material.
  • Concerns are raised about the molecular bonding in materials like silicon, sodium, and calcium affecting their energy levels and light interaction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the feasibility of mixing light wavelengths to influence material translucency. There is no consensus on the mechanisms involved or the potential outcomes, with some arguing against the initial hypothesis while others explore various theoretical scenarios.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations related to the assumptions about electron behavior, the need for high intensity light, and the specific energy levels of different materials. The discussion remains open-ended regarding the exact conditions under which light transmission might occur.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying nonlinear optics, material science, or anyone curious about the interaction of light with matter at the atomic level.

memoryerasure1
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-ion process.
The electron when hit by light moves to a higher shell level very briefly, to either shell 1, or 2 depending on the energy of the light wavelength.
So because you mixed any EM radiation, with red light which has the lowest energy, could when light, or other EM waves gets absorbed, and the electron moves to a higher shell level, if then say the red light that was mixed with the EM wave then hits the electron while the electron is TEMPORARILY in shell 1, or shell 2.
Would there be not enough energy to excite the electron to a higher state, and would transmission of the electron occur, thus making the a SOLID object translucent a bit say 5% translucent.
Would it work do you think, you could mix the red light with any EM wavelength UV, X-rays whatever works best, but the second mixture of light, it would have to be red light, to make the object transparent, so we could see through it.
Could it work do you think.
Thank you for your help, anything helps even a few words.
 
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Dear Dr Du,
Thank you so much for your reply, you help means a lot to me.
Forgot to mention that you could either mix the red light with the lowest wavelength as one beam, with any EM radiation, whatever works best to excite the electron to the higher shell level you want.
Or you could sent the red light in timed millisecond bursts, just as the electron goes to a higher shell level briefly.
Then while the electron is in the shell 2, 3, or 4 levels you the hit the electron with the red light in a timed millisecond burst, and in my mind the electron MAY transmission past the electron, because it does not have the energy to excite the electron to a higher energy level, or shell level.
While the electron is in higher shell levels 1, 2, 3, 4, or maybe more depending on the element, it MAY have energy levels that do not excite red light which has the lowest wavelength, this is all my theory though, it could be incorrect, I am not a expert, at optics, and materials.
Kind of like the electrons in glass work, and in water molecules, transparent plastics.
Thank you for your help, anything helps even a few words.
 
I'm not sure if I understand what you are asking. Sorry if this isn't what you were hoping for, but here's my take.

memoryerasure1 said:
Would there be not enough energy to excite the electron to a higher state, and would transmission of the electron occur, thus making the a SOLID object translucent a bit say 5% translucent.

No. The electrons can't skip two shells forward in one transition because of selection rules. When the barriers separating the shells of adjacent atoms are low, you get conductors (materials with conduction bands), not transparent materials. In fact, if the atom gets excited from red light, then you know it can't be transparent because it has a scattering resonance in the visible spectrum. The reason you can't detect a bulk flow of electrons is because of other interactions, like thermal fluctuations (a.k.a. two neighboring atoms smacking into each other), causing electrons to de-excite emitting photons in random directions. Even at absolute zero you still have vacuum fluctations, which mean you have to go a lot faster than a millisecond (probably on the picosecond scale, depending on the atom).

If I misunderstood your question, and what you were really asking about is whether you could use a light shift to achieve higher order transitions than normal, the answer is still no because the selection rules don't change, and in any event you would probably end up using such a powerful light shift that you'd put a massive dipole force on the atoms and wind up with some funky thermalized (and damped) atoms.
 
Thank you for your reply, you could move the electron to higher shell levels with more intensity light, or other EM waves.
But while the electron is in the shell levels briefly, of 1, 2, 3, 4, or more.
Imagine a four inch cubic block of carbon.
There has to be energy levels of electrons that do not excite light in carbon, if in glass is made from silicon, sodium, and calcium, these elements have more protons, neutrons, and electrons, than carbon.
You could say it is harder to make a object like glass transparent to light, because it has more energy levels, protons, neutrons, and electrons in its elements than carbon.
Both amorphous, as well.
Could the RED light transmission the electron,or get past the electron to illuminate the block of carbon, and make the first couple of microns translucent by 2%.
Kind of like how glass is transparent to light.
 
I'm not sure I understand the experiment you're describing.

Are you asking if you can make a material transmit more light of a certain wavelength by exciting a good percentage of the atoms to a higher state with high intensity light? If you could get a sufficient population inversion (easier said than done), I don't see why not.
 
while the electron is in the shell levels briefly, of 1, 2, 3, 4, or more after being excited by any em(electro magnetic) radiation.
Then either mix any em radiation with red light, or send the RED light to the electron while the electron is in these higher shell orbitals, and MAYBE the electrons will not absorb, and just transmission the RED light.
Like how light works in glass, which is made from silicon, sodium, and calcium.
If there are shell levels in these elements that do not excite light, then is has to work in other elements.
Maybe there is something I am missing like its the molecular bonding of silicon, sodium, and calcium that creates the energy levels in eV that does not excite light.
And transmission of light cannot happen in other elements like carbon.
Thank you for your help, your help means a lot to me.
 
Thanks to everyone for their answers
 

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