Fiber-optical analog of the event horizon.
The physics at the event horizon resembles the behavior of waves in moving media. Horizons are formed where the local speed of the medium exceeds the wave velocity. We used ultrashort pulses in microstructured optical fibers to demonstrate the formation of an artificial event horizon in optics. We observed a classical optical effect: the blue-shifting of light at a white-hole horizon. We also showed by theoretical calculations that such a system is capable of probing the quantum effects of horizons, in particular Hawking radiation.
Philbin
Thomas G
TG
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, UK.
Kuklewicz
Chris
C
Robertson
Scott
S
Hill
Stephen
S
König
Friedrich
F
Leonhardt
Ulf
U