An international team of researchers has found evidence of a new state of matter, first predicted 40 years ago. This state, known as quantum liquid spin causes electrons, considered the indivisible blocks of building nature, break into pieces.
The researchers measured the first signs of these fragments of particles, known as Majorana fermions in a two-dimensional material with a similar structure of graphene. Their experimental results matched one of the main theoretical models for quantum spin liquid, known as the Kitaev model. The results are published Monday in the journal Nature Materials.
The quantum liquid spin is a mysterious state of matter that is believed to be hiding in certain magnetic materials, but so far has not seen conclusively in nature. The observation of one of its most intriguing properties, the division of electrons, is a breakthrough. The Majorana fermions resulting can be used as pieces in quantum computers, which will be much faster than conventional computers and can perform calculations that are impossible by other methods.
“This is a new quantum state of matter , which had been planned but not observed until now, “explains Johannes Knolle, the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge, co-author of the study.
” We did not know what it would look “
in a material typical magnetic electrons behave as small magnets, and when a material is cooled to low enough temperatures, the ‘magnets’ are placed so that all positive poles point in the same direction. But in a material containing the quantum liquid spin state even when cooled to absolute zero, the ‘magnets’ are not aligned but form a tangle, because of quantum fluctuations.
“Up recently, did not even know what they would look footprints experimental quantum spin liquid “says another author, Dimitri Kovrizhin, also member of Condensed matter Theory Cavendish Laboratory. “It was something we wondered in previous works: If experimentase a quantum liquid spin, what would?”
Both co-authors, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, used techniques neutron scattering to search. experimental evidence of division of these particles in crystals of ruthenium chloride, and tested their magnetic properties illuminating these crystals with neutrons and observing the pattern of ‘wrinkles’ I looked at the screen, providing first evidence of a liquid spin quantum and division of elecctrones in a two-dimensional material.
“This is a new addition to a short list of quantum states of matter known so far,” said Knolle. “It is an important step in understanding the quantum state of matter, and it is fun to see another state that had never seen before: it gives us the opportunity to try new things”
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