The Experiment
Researchers directed a high-power green laser through a ruby cube while illuminating it with a blue laser, demonstrating that the green laser could block the blue light, creating a visible shadow.
This phenomenon occurs due to a nonlinear optical process where the green laser's intensity alters the ruby's response to the blue light, acting as if the green laser beam were a solid object.
Implications and Future Applications
The discovery opens new avenues for technologies that require precise light control, such as optical switching and high-power lasers, by using light to control another light beam.
This research not only expands the understanding of light-matter interactions but also poses potential applications in fields like laser eye surgery, where materials must effectively respond to intense laser light.