Superfluid Motion of Light

TL;DR

This paper investigates the superfluid behavior of light, demonstrating how light can flow without dissipation under certain conditions and identifying the transition to a dissipative phase.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of superfluidity in light and proposes an experimental setup to observe this phenomenon using waveguide arrays.

Findings

Superfluid motion of light demonstrated experimentally.

Critical velocity identified for the breakdown of superfluidity.

Potential applications in transport optimization discussed.

Abstract

Superfluidity, the ability of a fluid to move without dissipation, is one of the most spectacular manifestations of the quantum nature of matter. We explore here the possibility of superfluid motion of light. Controlling the speed of a light packet with respect to a defect, we demonstrate the presence of superfluidity and, above a critical velocity, its breakdown through the onset of a dissipative phase. We describe a possible experimental realization based on the transverse motion through an array of waveguides. These results open new perspectives in transport optimization.