Electricity is often thought to be caused by electrons moving in metal atoms. However, these individual electrons don’t work alone – they interact with each other and can even lose their identity when excited. This creates a collective motion called a Fermi liquid, which has been the standard theory for metals for decades.
New research using a measurement technique called shot noise reveals that some materials, known as “strange metals,” don’t behave like this. Instead of individual electrons carrying electricity, they seem to become a featureless liquid. This challenges our current understanding and could lead to a new theory of electrical transport.
Researchers used shot noise to study strange metals and found that the resistance changes linearly with temperature in these materials. In contrast, typical metals follow a quadratic behavior. To make their measurements possible, scientists created extremely small nanoscale wires that allow electrons to pass through them quickly, reducing interference from the metal’s lattice vibrations.
The results show that there are no quasiparticles – collective electron groups – in strange metals like YbRh2Si2. This means the current is carried by something other than individual electrons, a phenomenon known as “quantum soup.” While some physicists may be hesitant to accept this idea, it has significant implications for our understanding of high-temperature superconductors and could lead to new discoveries.
Source: https://www.newswise.com/doescience/can-electricity-flow-without-electrons/?article_id=825614