Metamaterial "Multiverse"

TL;DR

This paper explores how engineered optical metamaterials can simulate multidimensional universes with varying topology and dimensionality, enabling novel nonlinear optical phenomena and offering insights into universe creation models.

Contribution

It introduces a framework for designing metamaterials that mimic multidimensional spaces and demonstrates potential for observing universe-like phenomena in optical systems.

Findings

Metamaterials can simulate different topologies and dimensions.

Nonlinear optics in these metamaterials mimic Kaluza-Klein theories.

Topology transitions cause particle creation-like flashes.

Abstract

Optical space in metamaterials may be engineered to mimic the landscape of a multidimensional Universe which has regions of different topology and different effective dimensionality. The "metamaterial landscape" may include regions in which one or two spatial dimensions are compactified. Nonlinear optics of metamaterials in these regions mimics either U(1) or SU(2) Kaluza-Klein theories having one or more kinds of effective charges. As a result, novel "photon blockade" nonlinear optical metamaterial devices may be realized. Topology-changing phase transitions in such metamaterials lead to considerable particle creation perceived as flashes of light, thus providing a toy model of birth of an individual physical Universe.