Light isn’t just illuminating materials anymore, it’s moving them.
Scientists at Rice University have discovered that beams of light can physically shift atoms in a class of ultra-thin semiconductors known as Janus transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), unlocking a new way to tune materials for next-generation optical and quantum technologies.
The finding offers a rare glimpse into how light and matter interact at the atomic level.
When laser light hits these Janus TMDs, it doesn’t just pass through, it exerts a mechanical push on atoms inside the crystal, changing its symmetry and optical behaveior.
The phenomenon, called optostriction, could help build faster and cooler computer chips that use light instead of electricity.
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