Physicists have for the first time measured the quantum geometric shape of electrons, revealing significant implications for our understanding of quantum mechanics. (photo)

Physicists have successfully measured the geometric shape that an electron assumes while moving through a solid body. This achievement unveils a completely new approach to studying the behavior of crystalline solids at the quantum level. The research was published in the journal Nature Physics, as reported by ScienceAlert.

The behavior of matter in the universe can be effectively described by the laws of classical physics. However, at the quantum level, the interactions between particles can appear somewhat peculiar. One of the fundamental particles of the universe is the electron. Given their size, properties, and behavior, electrons can be described much more accurately based on their wave-like quantum nature.

Electrons can behave both as particles and as waves. When they act as waves, they create wave-like patterns that are described using wave functions. This mathematical description predicts the probabilities of an electron's location and other particle properties at a given moment in time.

Some properties of electrons can be viewed as a kind of geometry, albeit at the quantum level. Quantum geometry of electrons has long remained a mystery for physicists.

To measure the quantum geometry of electrons, the scientists aimed to measure a property known as the quantum geometric tensor. This physical quantity encodes all the geometric information of a quantum state, similar to how a two-dimensional hologram encodes information about three-dimensional space. The quantum geometric tensor also explains how the state of a quantum system changes when specific parameters, such as magnetic field or temperature, are adjusted.

For the first time, physicists measured the quantum geometric tensor of electrons in a solid state. Prior to this, understanding the quantum shape of electrons was only possible in theory. Grasping quantum geometry is crucial, as it reveals how electrons move, interact, and influence material properties such as conductivity, magnetism, and superconductivity.

To measure the quantum geometry of the electron, physicists employed angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. This method involves bombarding a solid material with particles of light, or photons, to eject electrons and measure their properties.

Photons were directed at a quantum material known as kagome metal. In this case, the material was composed of cobalt and tin alloy crystals. The study revealed the shape and structure of the energy states of electrons, as well as how they move through the material and interact with its crystalline lattice.

According to the scientists, they have developed a method to obtain entirely new information about electrons that was previously unattainable. This method can be utilized to determine the quantum geometry of electrons in any quantum material.

Physicists state that the results of their research will have some intriguing implications. For instance, the quantum geometry of electrons could be used to discover superconductivity in materials where it is typically not found.