Strange Optical Effect Discovered That Could Change Scientific Understanding of Darkness
Scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in the United States have recently discovered a strange property of lasers when using them to project through certain types of materials.
The investigation began when researchers utilized 3D software to create a diagram for an experiment involving light. However, they observed that the laser beam in the simulation appeared as a cylinder, and it could even block light by casting a shadow on a surface.
The laser beam can block light, creating shadows under certain conditions (Photo: HPN).
Surprised by this result, the team decided to conduct a real-world experiment to demonstrate the “shadow of the laser beam.”
In the experiment, they used a blue laser beam (referred to as Beam A) projected through a clear ruby, creating an intersection point perpendicular to a second laser beam, which was green (Beam B).
At the intersection of the two beams, molecular changes occurred, causing electrons to “dance,” with their numbers continuously increasing and decreasing. They referred to these as transitional electrons.
Two intersecting laser beams create a dark line, visible on the plane where the laser is projected. (Photo: HPN).
The research team found that the slightly shorter wavelength of Beam A was almost immediately “disturbed” by the transitional electrons. This caused its path through the transparent material to be blocked.
Simultaneously, Beam B also became a light blocker. The combination of the two beams created a dark line that appeared on the plane where Beam A was projected.
This dark line met all the criteria to be classified as a shadow. It was visible to the naked eye, located on the plane where it was projected. Even when one of the light sources was moved, this dark line also shifted accordingly.
According to basic light theory, photons (the particles that make up light) travel until they encounter an object that they cannot pass through. This obstruction creates a shadow or a small dark area where the light is blocked.
However, the experiment with lasers has revealed an exception, where light can create a shadow consisting only of itself.
The research team noted that this discovery expands our understanding of the light-matter interaction. It also opens up new possibilities for using light in ways we have never previously considered.
