US researchers at Brown University have made a groundbreaking discovery, spotting a new class of quantum particles called fractional excitons for the first time. These particles have significant implications for developing more powerful quantum computers.
In the quantum world, particles can exhibit unique behaviors that defy traditional understanding of physics. Scientists are studying these phenomena to advance technologies like computing and sensing. The detection of fractional excitons is a major breakthrough in this field.
Fractional excitons are formed by combining an electron with a positive hole and have no charge, making them difficult to detect. Researchers used the fractional Quantum Hall effect to observe these particles. They created a two-dimensional nanomaterial using graphene and boron nitride, which allowed them to control electrical charges and generate excitons.
When exposed to strong magnetic fields, researchers observed fractional exciton flow. The particles exhibited properties that are different from both bosons and fermions, as well as anyons. This unexpected behavior suggests that fractional excitons could represent a new class of particles with unique quantum properties.
The discovery has exciting implications for quantum computing, which is being hindered by the “noise” problem. Fractional excitons have less noise, making them suitable for creating systems that don’t get easily overwhelmed. The researchers are eager to explore and manipulate this phenomenon further.
Their findings were published in the journal Nature, marking a major milestone in the study of quantum mechanics.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-scientists-spot-class-quantum-143706193.html