MIT researchers measure the quantum geometry of electrons in solids for the first time

A new study has allowed physicists and collaborators at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to measure the quantum geometry of electrons in solids. This research provides insight into the shape and behavior of electrons within crystalline materials at the quantum level. According to the study, quantum geometry, previously limited to theoretical predictions, is now being directly observed, enabling unprecedented pathways to manipulate quantum material properties.

New avenues for quantum materials research

The study was published in Nature Physics on November 25. As described by Ricardo Comín, Career Development Associate Professor of Physics, Class of 1947 at MIT, this achievement is a major advance in quantum materials science. In an interview with MIT’s Materials Research Laboratory, Comin highlighted that his team has developed a blueprint for obtaining entirely new information about quantum systems. The method used can potentially be applied to a wide range of quantum materials beyond the method tested in this study.

Technological innovations enable direct measurement

The research used angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), a technique previously used by Comin and colleagues to probe quantum properties. The team adapted ARPES to directly measure the quantum geometry in a material called Kagome metal, which has a lattice structure with unique electronic properties. Mingu Kang, first author of the paper and a Kavli postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University, said the measurements were made possible due to a collaboration between experimentalists and theorists from multiple institutions, including South Korea, during the pandemic.

These experiences highlight the collaborative and resourceful efforts involved in realizing this scientific breakthrough. As reported in Nature Physics, this advancement offers new possibilities in understanding the quantum behavior of materials, paving the way for innovations in computing, electronics and magnetic technologies.