A group of scientists from Osaka University in Japan discovered a rare crystal that melts when exposed to ultraviolet light. According to the researchers, when the crystal melts, a series of changes occur in the luminosity level and the crystal changes at the molecular level. While this is unusual, the researchers say it’s not the first substance to undergo such a change, which they call a “photo-induced crystal-to-liquid transition” (PCLT).
Being able to study such changes in the rare crystal could help researchers better understand the process. The researchers say similar crystals could open up entirely new potential uses, such as in electronics, photonics, and even drug delivery.
In the researchers’ video, we can see how the crystal changes under a fluorescent microscope. When the crystal is exposed to light, it begins to glow a pale green. However, with more exposure to it, its green hue turns yellow and slowly begins to melt.
The researchers note that they are not sure exactly what triggered the melting they observed in the rare crystal. Heat is certainly not the trigger, as the light does not cause any temperature rise in the crystalline material. Instead, they found that the diketone SO found in the crystal actually moves from one molecular form to another.
Learning more about this phenomenon could help researchers better understand the overall workings of such transitions. With further examination, we may observe similar changes in lunar crystals. However, there is no definite information about what causes the changes and what types of crystals it may affect.
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