Matthew (Matt) Kafker graduated from Middlesex School with high honors after posting a cumulative average of 91 percent. Now a university student, Matt Kafker recently took classes in electromagnetic physics.

Collaborative research by the University of Edinburgh and the University of Pennsylvania analyzed the interaction of light with certain natural and man-made crystals. The investigation discovered a new type of electromagnetic wave called Dyakonov-Voigt surface waves in the region in which crystals meet other materials, such as water and oil.

The researchers used mathematical models to identify the unique properties of Dyakonov-Voigt surface waves. Researchers found that the production of this wave is possible only in certain crystals with optical properties that depend on the direction of light that passes through them. As the wave moves away from the interface between the crystal and another material, it begins to diminish, traveling in only one direction.

The discovery of Dyakonov-Voigt surface waves may lead to useful applications, such as the development of fiber optics that make data transfer more efficient, or the development of biosensors that screen blood samples.