New research uncovers chiral topological phases in metals without structural order
Fermions are among the most important particles in physics and include both everyday electrons and more exotic variants.
Fermions are among the most important particles in physics and include both everyday electrons and more exotic variants.
The short version
- Chiral fermions, like gloves, come in left- and right-handed versions and were proposed over a century ago.
- While high-energy neutrinos—the leading candidates for massless chiral fermions—proved to have mass, nearly (semi-) metallic solid-state crystals were discovered 15 years ago to host electronic versions of massless chiral fermions.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
What happened
Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Fermions are among the most important particles in physics and include both everyday electrons and more exotic variants. With their slightly overlapping electronic conduction and valence states, semimetals sit halfway between metals and insulators in terms of conductivity.
Why it matters
Topological semimetals (TSMs) are distinguished by electronic properties protected by the geometric structure of their electron wavefunctions, making them resistant to disruption and exciting tabletop venues for quantum electronic responses.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Phys.org via the links above and below.