Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime
Black holes are considered among the most fascinating objects that exist in our universe since in the classical formalism nothing, not even light, can escape from their vicinity due to gravity. The gravitational potential causes the light to bend toward the hole, which is known as gravitational lens...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.033104 |
| _version_ | 1827285213693083648 |
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| author | Sayan Jana Lea Sirota |
| author_facet | Sayan Jana Lea Sirota |
| author_sort | Sayan Jana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Black holes are considered among the most fascinating objects that exist in our universe since in the classical formalism nothing, not even light, can escape from their vicinity due to gravity. The gravitational potential causes the light to bend toward the hole, which is known as gravitational lensing. Here, we present a synthetic realization of this phenomenon in a laboratory-scale two-dimensional network of mechanical circuits, based on analogous condensed matter formalism of Weyl semimetals with inhomogeneous nodal tilt profiles. Some of the underlying network couplings turn out as unstable and nonreciprocal and are implemented by embedded active feedback interactions in an overall stabilized structure. We demonstrate the lensing by propagating mechanical wave packets through the network with a programed funnel-like potential, achieving wave bending toward the circle center. We then demonstrate the versatility of our platform by reprogramming it to mimic quantum tunneling of particles through the event horizon, known as Hawking radiation, achieving an exceptional correspondence to the original mass loss rate within the hole. The network couplings and the potential can be further reprogrammed to realize other curvatures and associated relativistic phenomena. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:11:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed2cb0b0cbf34662aaf666bd493f19c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2643-1564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:11:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed2cb0b0cbf34662aaf666bd493f19c12024-04-12T17:33:15ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642023-08-015303310410.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.033104Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetimeSayan JanaLea SirotaBlack holes are considered among the most fascinating objects that exist in our universe since in the classical formalism nothing, not even light, can escape from their vicinity due to gravity. The gravitational potential causes the light to bend toward the hole, which is known as gravitational lensing. Here, we present a synthetic realization of this phenomenon in a laboratory-scale two-dimensional network of mechanical circuits, based on analogous condensed matter formalism of Weyl semimetals with inhomogeneous nodal tilt profiles. Some of the underlying network couplings turn out as unstable and nonreciprocal and are implemented by embedded active feedback interactions in an overall stabilized structure. We demonstrate the lensing by propagating mechanical wave packets through the network with a programed funnel-like potential, achieving wave bending toward the circle center. We then demonstrate the versatility of our platform by reprogramming it to mimic quantum tunneling of particles through the event horizon, known as Hawking radiation, achieving an exceptional correspondence to the original mass loss rate within the hole. The network couplings and the potential can be further reprogrammed to realize other curvatures and associated relativistic phenomena.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.033104 |
| spellingShingle | Sayan Jana Lea Sirota Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime Physical Review Research |
| title | Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime |
| title_full | Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime |
| title_fullStr | Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime |
| title_short | Gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime |
| title_sort | gravitational lensing and tunneling of mechanical waves in synthetic curved spacetime |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.033104 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sayanjana gravitationallensingandtunnelingofmechanicalwavesinsyntheticcurvedspacetime AT leasirota gravitationallensingandtunnelingofmechanicalwavesinsyntheticcurvedspacetime |