Since the late 19th century, scientists have understood that, when heated, all materials emit light in a predictable spectrum of wavelengths. But a material that appears to exceed the limits set by Planck’s law has been experimentally demonstrated by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
The new material, discovered by professor Shawn Yu Lin, emits a coherent light similar to that produced by lasers or LEDs, but without the costly structure needed to produce the stimulated emission of those technologies.