Space-time optical diffraction from synthetic motion
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The interaction of light with objects and media moving at relativistic and superluminal speeds enables unconventional phenomena such as Fresnel drag, Hawking radiation, and light amplification. Synthetic motion, facilitated by modulated internal degrees of freedom, enables the study of relativistic phenomena unrestricted by the speed of light. In this study, we investigate synthetically moving apertures created by high-contrast reflectivity modulations, which are generated by ultrafast laser pulses on a subwavelength thin film of indium tin oxide. The space-time diffraction of a weaker probe beam reveals a complex, non-separable spatio-temporal transformation, where changes in the frequency of the wave are correlated to changes in its momentum. By using schemes of continuous or discrete modulation we demonstrate tunable frequency-momentum diffraction patterns with gradients that depend upon the relative velocity between the modulation and the probe wave. The diffraction patterns are matched by operator-based theory and the gradients are analytically predicted using a super-relativistic Doppler model, where the modulation is described as a superluminally moving scattering particle. Our experiments open a path towards mimicking relativistic mechanics and developing complex and programmable spatio-temporal transformations of light.
Date Issued
2025-06-03
Date Acceptance
2025-05-15
Citation
Nature Communications, 2025, 16
ISSN
2041-1723
Publisher
Nature Portfolio
Journal / Book Title
Nature Communications
Volume
16
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2025 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
License URL
Identifier
10.1038/s41467-025-60159-9
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
5147
Date Publish Online
2025-06-03