MIT Physicists Achieve Breakthrough in Measuring Quantum Geometry of Electrons
MIT physicists, in collaboration with international researchers, have made
a groundbreaking discovery by directly measuring the quantum geometry of
electrons in solids, a feat previously thought impossible. Their findings,
published in the November 25, 2024, issue of Nature Physics, open new avenues for understanding and controlling the quantum properties
of materials.
Using a method called angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), the team adapted the technique to measure the quantum geometry of a kagome metal, a material known for its exotic quantum properties. This approach provided direct insights into the wave function, a fundamental aspect of quantum physics that describes an electron’s wave-like behavior. The discovery paves the way for studying quantum geometry in a wide range of materials, with potential applications in quantum computing, advanced electronics, and magnetic devices.
Riccardo Comin, the Class of 1947 Career Development Associate Professor of Physics at MIT, who led the research, described the work as a "blueprint for obtaining previously inaccessible information about quantum materials." Mingu Kang PhD ’23, the study's first author and now a Kavli Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University, emphasized that this achievement resulted from close collaboration between experimentalists and theorists.
The research was carried out under unique circumstances during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kang, based in South Korea at the time, collaborated with theorists in the region, while Comin conducted critical experiments at the Italian Light Source Elettra. Despite the challenges, the team’s efforts culminated in a significant milestone in quantum material science.
The study also highlights the importance of global partnerships, with contributions from Seoul National University, Stanford University, Cornell University, and the University of Trieste, among others. The work was supported by various organizations, including the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the National Science Foundation, and the Samsung Science and Technology Foundation.
This groundbreaking research not only advances the fundamental understanding of quantum materials but also opens doors to new technological possibilities, marking a significant step forward in the field of condensed matter physics.
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