Luke Richard Stocks
Ghost Matter and the Abraham Minkowski Controversy.
- Email: l.r.stocks@ncl.ac.uk
Supervisors
- School of Engineering
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
Project description
For the last century, the Abraham-Minkowski controversy has been at the centre of discussions in the field of photonics. It concerns the relationship between photon momentum in a dielectric media and the refractive index of the media. Both approaches have theoretical and experimental evidence backing them. But they are incompatible with each other. There is no consensus in the community about which is right.
Our research will provide new experimental evidence for the discussion around the Abraham-Minkowski controversy. We are using optical tweezers. Optical tweezers are normally used to hold or move microscopic objects suspended in a fluid. This project will instead use optical tweezers to move microscopic beads through a solid medium.
We will:
- create specialised optical fibres with semiconductor cores via pressure-assisted melt filling
- move solid semiconductor material through silica using optical tweezers
- provide evidence towards the A-M controversy.
- explore uses of the methods in research and device fabrication contexts
Interests
Photonics, semiconductors, optical tweezers.
Qualifications
- Master of Physics, Newcastle University