When we were in school, we must have heard of five states of matter – solid, liquid, gas, plasma and Bose-Einstein Condensate. However, over the course of time, supersolids have emerged as another state of matter that exists in quantum state. Supersolids combine properties of solids and liquids, and exist as crystalline structure, just like a normal solid substance, but can flow freely like a liquid.

Mindboggling, isn’t it?

Supersolids can be visualized as a fluid composed of coherent quantum droplets that are periodically arranged in space. They can flow through an obstacle without facing any challenge in maintaining their spatial arrangement and mutual distance – something that is seen in solid substances.  And why it has come to prominence recently is because supersolids had so far existed only at an atomic level, only in extremely cold environments where quantum effects could be observed.

However, a small team of nanotechnologists, physicists and engineers have developed a technique to force laser light into becoming a supersolid. The team fired a laser beam at a piece of gallium arsenide which had been shaped with special ridges. Upon striking these ridges, the laser light interacted with the material, resulting in the photons settling into a state with zero momentum and eventually exist in pairs in two adjacent states. They eventually formed hybrid particles called ‘polaritons’. These polaritons were constrained by the ridges, which forced them to form a supersolid. The team found that the supersolid displayed zero viscosity and existed with combined properties of solid and liquid.

This discovery can have massive implications for quantum computing industry, as supersolids are important for creating more stable qubits. This breakthrough by the scientists marks another milestone in the world of quantum computing.