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New perspectives on light-matter interaction: innovative research focused on ultra-fast electronics. Credit: Politecnico di Milano<\/p>\n
Understanding what happens inside a material when it is hit by ultrashort light pulses is one of the great challenges of matter physics and modern photonics. A new study published<\/a> in Nature Photonics and led by Politecnico di Milano reveals a hitherto neglected but essential aspect, precisely the contribution of virtual charges, charge carriers that exist only during interaction with light, but which profoundly influence the material’s response.<\/p>\n The research, conducted in partnership with the University of Tsukuba, the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, and the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology (CNR-IFN) investigated the behavior of monocrystalline diamonds subjected to light pulses<\/a> lasting a few attoseconds (billionths of a billionth of a second), using an advanced technique called attosecond-scale transient reflection spectroscopy.<\/p>\n By comparing experimental data<\/a> with state-of-the-art numerical simulations<\/a>, researchers were able to isolate the effect of so-called virtual vertical transitions between the electronic bands of the material. Such an outcome changes the perspective on how light interacts with solids, even in extreme conditions<\/a> hitherto attributed only to the movement of actual charges.<\/p>\n “Our work shows that virtual carrier excitation, which develops in a few billionths of a billionth of a second, are indispensable to correctly predict the rapid optical response in solids,” said Matteo Lucchini, professor at the Department of Physics, senior author of the study, and associate at CNR-IFN.<\/p>\n New perspectives on light-matter interaction: innovative research focused on ultra-fast electronics. Credit: Politecnico di Milano<\/p>\n “These results mark a key step in the development of ultra-fast technologies in electronics,” adds Roc\u00edo Borrego Varillas, researcher at CNR-IFN.<\/p>\n The progress achieved offers new insights into the creation of ultra-fast optical devices, such as switches and modulators capable of operating at petahertz frequencies, a thousand times faster than current electronic devices. This requires a deep understanding of both the behavior of actual charges, and of virtual charges, as demonstrated by this study.<\/p>\n More information:<\/strong> \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCitation<\/strong>: \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/new-perspectives-on-li-1.jpg\" "\\"New")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGian Luca Dolso et al, Attosecond virtual charge dynamics in dielectrics, Nature Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1038\/s41566-025-01700-6<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPolytechnic University of Milan<\/a>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew perspectives on light-matter interaction: How virtual charges influence material responses (2025, September 26)
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 26 September 2025
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-09-perspectives-interaction-virtual-material-responses.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n
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