Scientists from the University of Rice have made a groundbreaking discovery about “strange metals” and their unique properties in quantum noise experiments. The results of their study, published in the journal science, reveal that these metals conduct electricity in an unconventional way that resembles a liquid, which cannot be explained by traditional theories.
The study’s lead author, Dag Natelson, explains that “the noise is significantly depressed in comparison with conventional wires.” This suggests that the participants involved in the conduction of electricity through strange metals are not clearly defined or may even be absent, indicating that the charge is moved in more complex ways.
Their experiments focused on nano pipelines made of a quantum critical material called YBRH2SI2, which is composed of a precise ratio of Itterbia, Rodium, and silicon. This material exhibits high levels of quantum entanglement, meaning its properties are dependent on temperature. When cooled below a critical temperature, the material transitions from a non-magnetic to a magnetic state. Just above the critical threshold, YBRH2Si2 becomes a “heavy feric” metal, with charge carriers that are hundreds of times heavier than electrons found in regular metals.
In metals, quasi-participants are the result of countless interactions between electrons. The concept of quasi-participants was first proposed 67 years ago by physicists to represent the collective effect of these interactions as a single quantum object.
The theories suggest that the charge carriers in strange metals may not be quasi-participants. The study’s use of Scottka noise measurements allowed the researchers to gather the first direct empirical evidence supporting this idea. The noise measurements are a way to observe the discrete nature of the charge as it passes through a material.
Although technical difficulties arose during the study, such as working with crystals of Itterbia, Rodium, and silicon with a 1-2-2 ratio, the research supports the theory of quantum criticism proposed by Kimiao SI in 2001. It provides insight into how charge current carriers interact with other quantum critical agents.
Natelson highlights a significant question regarding whether these phenomena can be observed in other compounds that exhibit strange metal behavior. He suggests that “sometimes it seems that nature hints at us at something,” considering that strange metal behavior is found in various physical systems despite their different microscopic physics.