Physicists Capture First-Ever Image of an Electron Crystal
After 90 years of theoretical predictions, researchers have directly imaged the Wigner crystal, a quantum phase of electrons.
- A team of physicists used high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy to capture the first direct images of a Wigner crystal.
- The Wigner crystal forms at extremely low temperatures and high magnetic fields between two pristine graphene sheets.
- This discovery confirms Eugene Wigner's 1934 prediction that electrons can form a crystal-like lattice due to mutual repulsion.
- The electron crystal's stability and density were tested, revealing new insights into quantum phase transitions.
- Future research aims to explore how the Wigner crystal transitions to other phases under varying conditions.
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