A laser inspired by black holes: extreme physics recreated in the lab
Bar-Ilan University researchers develop an optical system that mimics black hole “ringdown” and enables laser emission
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From curved space to curved optics: a tabletop geometry that traps light like a black hole—and turns it into a laser.
view moreCredit: Prof. Patrick Sebbah, Bar-Ilan University
Researchers from Bar-Ilan University have successfully recreated key features of black hole physics in a laboratory setting using an innovative optical system that mimics how black holes behave after violent cosmic events such as collisions or mergers.
In simple terms, the team built a small-scale system where light behaves similarly to the way waves ripple around a black hole. These ripples, known as “ringdown” signals, are the same type detected by gravitational-wave observatories such as LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory). The researchers not only observed these wave patterns in their system but also demonstrated that they can produce laser emission. This provides a new way to study black hole physics in a controlled laboratory environment.
“This work shows that phenomena we usually associate with the most extreme objects in the universe can be recreated and explored on a tabletop,” said Prof. Patrick Sebbah, from the Department of Physics and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials at Bar-Ilan University, who led the study. “By using light in carefully designed structures, we can directly observe and control effects that are otherwise far beyond experimental reach.”
To achieve this, the team designed and fabricated tiny curved optical structures using advanced 3D printing techniques. These structures were engineered to replicate the geometry of spacetime around a black hole. The researchers then examined how light propagates and emits within these structures using a combination of theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental laser measurements. The strong agreement between these approaches supports the validity of the findings.
The motivation for the research stems from the difficulty of studying black hole dynamics directly. Black holes produce characteristic vibrations known as quasinormal modes, which are central to gravitational-wave astronomy but are challenging to observe in detail. By recreating these effects in a laboratory setting, the researchers aimed to make them accessible to direct observation and experimentation.
One of the most surprising findings was that modes associated with the photon sphere, an inherently unstable region around a black hole, can be clearly observed and can even sustain laser emission. This result shows that spatial curvature alone can effectively confine light, without relying on traditional mirror-based mechanisms.
The findings have several important implications. They provide a new platform for studying fundamental aspects of black hole physics in the laboratory, introduce a novel mechanism for light confinement based on geometry, and highlight the value of interdisciplinary research combining optics, general relativity, and advanced fabrication technologies. This work also underscores the growing role of Israeli research in advancing cutting-edge science.
The research was supported by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Israel Science Foundation, the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation, and CNRS and the French RENATECH network.
The study involved collaboration between researchers at Bar-Ilan University and Université Paris-Saclay, including astrophysicist Dr. Ofek Birnholtz (Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University) and Dr. Melanie Lebental (Université Paris-Saclay).
Looking ahead, the research team plans to explore more complex black hole geometries, including rotating systems, investigate nonlinear interactions between modes, and develop new photonic devices based on curvature-induced light confinement.
This work, recently published in Advanced Science, highlights a new interdisciplinary direction combining general relativity, optics, and nanotechnology, with both fundamental and technological implications.
Journal
Advanced Science
Article Title
Photon-Sphere Modes in Curved Optical Microcavities: A Black-Hole Analogue Laser
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