Scientists Discover Semi-Dirac Fermions with Directional Mass Behavior

The quasiparticles, observed in ZrSiS crystals, exhibit massless movement in one direction and mass in another, opening new avenues for quantum physics and material science.

• Researchers at Penn State and Columbia University identified semi-Dirac fermions in zirconium silicon sulfide (ZrSiS) crystals, marking the first observation of this unique quasiparticle.
• Semi-Dirac fermions exhibit massless behavior when moving in one direction but gain mass when traveling perpendicularly, a phenomenon predicted over a decade ago.
• The discovery was made using magneto-optical spectroscopy under extreme conditions, including near-absolute-zero temperatures and powerful magnetic fields, at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Florida.
• ZrSiS, a layered material similar to graphite, could potentially be exfoliated into thin sheets for applications akin to graphene, with possible uses in batteries, sensors, and advanced materials.
• While the findings align with theoretical predictions, researchers note that many aspects of the observed behavior remain unexplained, leaving room for further investigation.

3 Articles

Gadgets 360 IFLScience New Atlas