Electrons that act like photons reveal a quantum secret

Unique physical properties of materials have been the center of interest in material science community. Among them, quantum materials have recently garnered growing attention, because of their unprecedented physical properties governed by photon-like electrons. We have synthesized a series of organic compounds of as a new member of quantum materials.

After theoretical and experimental examination, we have discovered universal features of magnetic behavior shared by them. Based on our original theoretical model, the behavior is directly related to a characteristic feature of their band structures called linear band dispersion (LBD). Accordingly, such magnetic behavior is intrinsic and universal to quantum materials with LBD.

Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1097607

Journal article: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpclett.5c02197

Image: Quantum materials contain relativistic particles called Dirac electrons governing unique physical properties. They are sometimes massless and move with the light velocity, being rather like photons than electrons. However, in some organic charge-transfer complexes, they transform themselves between standard and Dirac electrons depending on temperature. Furthermore, they sometimes behave in between.

Credit: The copyright is owned by the American Chemical Society 

Source: Electrons that act like photons reveal a quantum secret – Scents of Science