Scientists at the Pierre and Marie Curie University have created the world's smallest mirror, using only 2000 atoms. Their results are published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
The team used a very thin optical fiber, combined with a chain of cesium atoms, to create a highly efficient mirror. The team managed to make the mirror so small because they carefully selected the color of the light, and engineered the cesium atoms so they would be in exactly the right places to reflect the light.
By positioning multiple mirrors in the right way, the team also managed to temporarily trap the light. They could use their mirror to store and retrieve light pulses, creating a kind of optical memory device. This could be used in optical circuits and computers of the future, which could prove to be faster and more efficient than electrical computers.
