Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley physicists have accomplished what quantum scientists have dreamed of for the last more than half century- capturing direct images of Wigner molecular crystals, a quantum phase where electrons pair up to form “molecules” in an organized lattice. The breakthrough builds on Eugene Wigner’s 1930s theoretical prediction about electrons forming crystal-like structures. “We are the first to directly observe this new quantum phase, which was quite unexpected,” notes Feng Wang, Berkeley Lab faculty scientist and UC Berkeley physics professor. The quantum waltz happens at ultra-low temperatures when electrons slow to near-standstill speeds. The team used a … Continue reading Berkeley Physicists Capture First Images of Quantum Molecular Crystals at 10-Nanometer Scales