![]() ![]() Now, MIT physicists have observed the Pauli exclusion principle, or Pauli blocking, in a completely new way: They’ve found that the effect can suppress how a cloud of atoms scatters light. How ultracold, superdense atoms become invisible: A new study confirms that as atoms are chilled and squeezed to extremes, their ability to scatter light is suppressedĬambridge, MA | Posted on November 19th, 2021 This fundamental property of atomic physics is known as the Pauli exclusion principle, and it explains the shell structure of atoms, the diversity of the periodic table of elements, and the stability of the material universe. Like concertgoers in an arena, each electron occupies a single chair and cannot drop to a lower tier if all its chairs are occupied. Only those with more room near the edge can scatter light.Ĭredits:Credit: Courtesy of the researchersĪn atom’s electrons are arranged in energy shells. At low temperatures (b), atoms crowd together. At high temperatures (a), atoms are seated randomly, so every particle can scatter light. Each person represents an atom, while each seat represents a quantum state. The principle of Pauli blocking can be illustrated by an analogy of people filling seats in an arena. Home > Press > How ultracold, superdense atoms become invisible: A new study confirms that as atoms are chilled and squeezed to extremes, their ability to scatter light is suppressed ![]()
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