We surely heard the word “Alchemist” in some storybooks or movies. What comes to your mind when you hear that? Usually, it conjures images of a man in medieval times, wearing a large cape, working with smoky crucibles or ancient scrolls, attempting to turn lead into gold in a spooky, dark room. Although they never found the philosopher’s stone, they were always seeking transformation. At present, in the bright labs of the University of Houston, we also know of a modern-day alchemist, Dr. Jiming Bao, the alchemist of light.
Born in China, Dr. Jiming Bao is an amazing Physicist. He is currently a professor at the University of Houston. He studies fields that are related to light and photons, such as Optoelectronics, Plasmonics, and Nanophotonics, etc. Even on the smallest scale, he observes whether silicon particles bend, nanocrystals twist, or graphene particles dance with light. But if you think he stops only after observing, you’re wrong. He manipulates and transforms those particles into devices.
In reality, there is nothing like spells or magic. So, why is he called the alchemist of light? Dr. Jiming Bao is the photonic alchemist, and all his scrolls and grimoires are written with the formulas and theories of quantum mechanics. He is not the alchemist to turn raw metals into precious ones, but to make them into luminous ones through nanoscale. He just does not observe material properties; he uses photons as his fundamental currency. Technologies we haven’t conceived yet could be possible through his research. His innovations could improve the way we use solar energy and optimize its devices.
Dr. Bao’s imagination sets his work aside from the rest. He treats light as a phenomenon that could be guided and sculpted well for the sake of humanity. He created many fascinating things. To understand his photonic sorcery, we need to break it down. His philosopher’s stone is the white laser, which was an object no one could find in the past decade. This made headlines in 2015 in the scientific world. White laser was implemented in Li-Fi, which you could say is the ‘Gold’, while the scientific limitation was the ‘Lead’. Moreover, he introduced the world to the Rainbow Laser, which could paint the surface of a graphene. This is not just visually stunning; it opened up possibilities for advanced optical communication. As if this wasn’t enough, he made energy potions using plasmonic particles. He trapped light and resonated solar energy using these particles.
The title “Alchemist of Light” is not just a metaphor; it is more than that. This title is a testament to Dr. Jiming Bao’s ability to understand ordinary matters. He is turning scientific theories into luminous reality. In his hand, a shred of glass becomes a prism of light, and a sheet of graphene comes out as a colorful masterpiece. Though he is not turning lead into gold as the stereotypical storybook alchemist, he is using all these basic metaphors to make a brighter future for all of us. And through his modern alchemy, he taught us that light not only helps us see in the dark but also helps us imagine the unlikely.
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Writer
Ifraat Jahan Esha
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE