Over 50 years ago, physicist Sir Roger Penrose introduced the groundbreaking notion that, under specific conditions, energy could be extracted from rapidly rotating black holes. He theorized that when a particle enters a black hole’s ergosphere—where space-time is influenced by the object’s rotation—it could split into two fragments. One fragment would be absorbed by the black hole, while the other escapes, carrying away more energy than the original particle. Later, physicist Yakov Zeldovich expanded this theory, predicting that waves interacting with sufficiently fast-rotating objects could also gain and amplify energy.
Innovative Research at SUNY on Wave Amplification
Recently, researchers at the State University of New York’s Graduate Center Advanced Science Research Center (CUNY ASRC) demonstrated an experimental technique inspired by these theories. In a study published in Nature, the team revealed that wave amplification can be achieved using a device designed to simulate extreme rotation, without actual physical motion.
Reproducing Extreme Physics with Synthetic Rotation
Instead of using mechanically rotating objects, the researchers developed high-frequency devices with rapidly changing properties in both space and time. This innovative system creates the illusion of ultra-high-speed rotation, achieving effective rotational speeds that far surpass those of traditional mechanical systems. By employing synthetic rotations, researchers have addressed challenges that have historically limited experimental exploration of extreme rotational physics.
“Our approach introduces a novel method for wave-matter interaction, where waves with specific rotational properties extract energy from engineered rotations, resulting in a form of broadband selective amplification,” stated principal investigator Andrea Al, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Einstein Professor at SUNY Graduate Center, and founding director of the SUNY ASRC Photonics Initiative.
Lead author Hadise Nasari, a postdoctoral fellow in the Photonics Initiative at the SUNY ASRC, emphasized that this experiment brings a long-held theoretical concept into the realm of practical research.
“The success of this experiment transitions ideas about extreme rotational mechanics from theory to reality, creating a versatile platform to explore various phenomena at the intersection of astrophysics, wave physics, and quantum science,” Nasari explained. “This research has far-reaching implications for advancements in basic science, communications, optics, and photonics.”
Understanding the Mechanism of the Experiment
The researchers aimed to answer a fundamental question: Can electromagnetic waves interacting with a stationary device behave as if they were meeting a high-speed rotating object, thereby extracting energy from the resultant motion?
To explore this, they constructed a ring of electronic resonators, with properties rapidly adjusted in meticulously synchronized patterns. Although the hardware remained stationary, these rapid timing changes induced a motion pattern around the ring, causing the electromagnetic waves to experience conditions as if the system was rotating at an extraordinary speed.
“Waves with suitable rotational characteristics extracted energy from the system and were amplified, simulating the fundamental physics of the Penrose-Zeldovich process,” explained co-lead author Hadi Moussa, a former doctoral student at the SUNY ASRC Photonics Initiative. “Our method relies on engineered metamaterials tailored to dictate how waves propagate.”
Broad Potential Applications Beyond Black Hole Physics
As synthetic rotation can simulate motions faster than light, researchers now have a controlled laboratory setting to explore previously unstudied physical phenomena. This research unlocks new avenues for investigating extreme physics while suggesting potential breakthroughs in wireless communications, optics, photonics, and quantum technologies.
The researchers acknowledge that more work is needed to translate these theories into practical devices. However, they believe the principles can be applied to photonic and quantum systems, paving the way for enhanced methods of controlling light, processing information, and studying wave behavior inspired by the universe’s most extreme environments.
This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the Simmons Foundation.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com