Catenaa, Saturday, November 15, 2025-Researchers at Florida State University have discovered a novel state of matter in which electrons form solid crystalline patterns yet partially “melt” into liquid-like arrangements, creating a hybrid with both conducting and insulating properties.
The phase, described as a generalized Wigner crystal, mimics a pinball effect, where some electrons remain fixed while others move freely, a phenomenon not previously observed at these densities.
The team, including Aman Kumar, Hitesh Changlani, and Cyprian Lewandowski, used large-scale simulations at FSU’s Research Computing Center and the National Science Foundation’s ACCESS program.
Numerical methods such as exact diagonalization, density matrix renormalization group, and Monte Carlo simulations allowed them to model hundreds of interacting electrons and uncover how quantum mechanical effects shape this new state.
By manipulating “quantum knobs,” the researchers could trigger transitions between solid and partially melted electron configurations.
The findings provide insight into how electron interactions govern material properties such as conductivity, insulation, and magnetism, potentially informing next-generation quantum devices.
Applications for this discovery include quantum computing, spintronics, and advanced superconducting systems, where controlling electron behavior is essential for higher memory efficiency, lower power consumption, and improved performance.
Understanding the generalized Wigner crystal and its pinball phase could help scientists engineer materials with tunable electrical properties, opening new avenues in nanoelectronics and condensed-matter physics.
The study, published in npj Quantum Materials, sheds light on the cooperative behavior of electrons in two-dimensional moiré systems and may guide experimental research into previously inaccessible quantum phases.
