Quantum Breakthrough: First-Ever Achievement of a Laughlin State
The discovery of quantum Hall effects in the 1980s revealed the existence of new forms of matter known as “Laughlin states,” named after the American Nobel laureate who successfully characterized them theoretically.
These great states manifest uniquely in two-dimensional materials under extremely cold conditions and intense magnetic fields. In a Laughlin state, electrons form an unusual liquid where each electron moves around its counterparts while actively avoiding them.
Exciting this quantum liquid gives rise to collective states that physicists associate with hypothetical particles, known as “anyons,” whose properties differ significantly from those of electrons. Anyone carries fractional charges (fractions of the elementary charge) and intriguingly challenges the conventional classification of particles as bosons or fermions.
Reports on the realization of a Laughlin state
For years, physicists have sought to realize Laughlin states in systems other than solid-state materials to explore their distinct properties further. However, the required elements, such as the 2D nature of the system, intense magnetic fields, and strong particle correlations, have proven to be exceedingly challenging to achieve.
In a recent article published in Nature, an international team led by Markus Greiner’s experimental group at Harvard reports the first successful realization of a Laughlin state using ultracold neutral atoms manipulated by lasers.
Description of the experiment’s methodology
The experiment involves trapping a few atoms in an optical box and implementing the conditions for creating this exotic state: a solid synthetic magnetic field and robust repulsive interactions among the atoms.
In their study, the researchers observe characteristic properties of the Laughlin state by individually imaging the atoms using a powerful quantum-gas microscope. They demonstrate the distinctive “dance” of the particles as they orbit around each other and confirm the fractional nature of the achieved atomic Laughlin state.
This breakthrough paves the way for extensive exploration of Laughlin states and their counterparts in quantum simulators, such as the Moore-Read state. The ability to create, image, and manipulate anyone under a quantum-gas microscope holds particular appeal as it offers exciting opportunities to harness their unique properties in laboratory settings.
Read the original article on ScitechDaily.
Read more: Breakthrough in Thermal Management of Semiconductors Using Surface Plasmon Polaritons.
