Beautiful stuff. Shrink a wire down to where only a single electron can travel through it at a time. Then put a double slit after it. The electron is forced to "choose" which path it wants to take, and as with all such experiments, it takes both. The result is interference.
What's new here, is this team forced the electrons close enough together so they strongly repel each other. The result is a pair of "half-electrons", each of which behaves like a Majorana particle. Which is needed for "topological" quantum computing.
This summary discusses "braiding", which is essential for the topological states.
en.wikipedia.org
What's new here, is this team forced the electrons close enough together so they strongly repel each other. The result is a pair of "half-electrons", each of which behaves like a Majorana particle. Which is needed for "topological" quantum computing.
Scientists Create Split-Electrons, Unlocking the Future of Quantum Computing
Topological quantum computers a step closer with a new method to 'split' electrons. Electrons, once thought to be indivisible, may display behaviors suggesting they can split into two halves under quantum interference. Groundbreaking research explores how nanoelectronic circuits, governed by quan
scitechdaily.com
This summary discusses "braiding", which is essential for the topological states.
Scientists have effectively created "split-electrons," which behave as if they are halves of an electron, known as Majorana fermions. This groundbreaking discovery was made by researchers at University College Dublin and the Indian Institute of Technology, utilizing quantum interference in nanoelectronic circuits. By forcing multiple electrons close together, they exhibit behaviors suggesting they can split, pushing forward the development of topological quantum computers[1][3]. Additionally, other studies have shown that under specific conditions, such as in pentalayer graphene, electrons can display fractional charges[2].
