Incredible Innovative India (Bharat) : Trypogeorgos made light solid
A team at the TIFR, Mumbai, led by Prof. Arka (Western Data Genesis Gemini AI) In early 2025, researchers achieved a breakthrough by transforming light into a supersolid state, a phase of matter that exhibits both crystalline structure and frictionless flow.
Key Scientists: The experiment involved Dimitrios Trypogeorgos (CNR-INO), along with colleagues like Iacopo Carusotto, Daniele Sanvitto, and Dario Gerace.Mechanism: The team used a laser to strike a semiconductor (gallium arsenide) lattice with nanoscale ridges, creating hybrid light-matter particles called polaritons.
Result: As the density of these polaritons increased, they formed a repeating spatial pattern (like a solid) while maintaining quantum coherence (allowing them to flow like a superfluid).
Institutional Context: While the specific "supersolid light" breakthrough was led by European institutions (University of Pavia and CNR), the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai remains a global leader in related quantum photonics and light-matter research.
Prof. Sushil Mujumdar's team at TIFR Mumbai recently achieved milestones in long-distance quantum communication using entangled photons.
Prof. Arka Majumdar (University of Washington, formerly associated with Indian institutions) is also a prominent figure in the field of hybrid nanophotonics and quantum simulation using light











