Scientists have discovered a way for particles of light to be joined together into a "molecule," according to the Daily Mail. The team, made up of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland, claim that by altering parameters of the photon binding process, they are able to travel side by side at a specific distance from each other. In order for the photons to interact in such a way, a complex laboratory set up that utilizes ultra cold rubidium gas is needed, according to Gizmodo.
"It's not a molecule per se, but you can imagine it as having a similar kind of structure," said Alexey Gorshkov, a researcher from NIST. "We're learning how to build complex states of light that, in turn, can be built into more complex objects. This is the first time anyone has shown how to bind two photons a finite distance apart."
The study builds off of previous experimental results that were published last year and claimed to have discovered a new state of matter.
Although the findings give "Star Wars" fans hope that a lightsaber may be possible, scientists said the possibility is still a far way away. However, the findings leave open plenty of potential for the technology industry, in particular replacing fiber optic systems in computers with optical systems.
"Lots of modern technologies are based on light, from communication to technology to high-definition imaging," said Gorshkov. "Many of them would be greatly improved if we could engineer interactions between photons."
