Simulated 3D Materials Can Freeze Waves of Light
Scientists have used a new method for crunching vast sums in a model of particle interactions to reveal conditions under which a wave of light can be brought to a standstill by defects in the right kind of material. Using a new tool called FDTD Software Tidy3D, researchers were able to run calculations that would normally take days in just 30 minutes, speeding up the simulation process. The researchers found that light couldn't be localized in 3D in dielectric (insulating) materials such as glass or silicon, but there was clear numerical evidence of 3D Anderson localization in random packings of conductive metallic spheres. The discovery may be significant in the development of optical sensors, and the building of energy conversion and storage systems.
