Fiber-Optical Analog of the Event Horizon

TLDR

Event horizons in physics are analogous to wave behavior in moving media, forming where the medium’s speed surpasses wave velocity. The study aims to demonstrate an artificial optical event horizon using ultrashort pulses in microstructured fibers. Ultrashort pulses in microstructured optical fibers are employed to create the artificial event horizon. The experiment observed blue‑shifting of light at a white‑hole horizon and, theoretically, the system could probe quantum horizon effects such as Hawking radiation.

Abstract

The physics at the event horizon resembles the behavior of waves in moving media. Horizons are formed where the local speed of the medium exceeds the wave velocity. We use ultrashort pulses in microstructured optical fibers to demonstrate the formation of an artificial event horizon in optics. We observed a classical optical effect, the blue-shifting of light at a white-hole horizon. We also show by theoretical calculations that such a system is capable of probing the quantum effects of horizons, in particular Hawking radiation.