Signatures of fractional electronic charge observed in topological insulators
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - 10:20
in Physics & Chemistry
Because electrons -- the subatomic particles that carry electricity -- are elementary particles and cannot be split, fractions of electronic charge are not normally encountered. Despite this, researchers have recently observed the signature of fractional charges ranging from e/4 to 2e/3 in exotic materials known as topological crystalline insulators.