Quantum simulator shows how parts of electrons move at different speeds in 1D
A quantum simulator at Rice University is giving physicists a clear look at spin-charge separation, the quantum world's version of the magician's illusion of sawing a person in half.
Published this week in Science, the research has implications for quantum computing and electronics with atom-scale wires.
Electrons are minuscule, subatomic particles that cannot be divided. Despite this, quantum mechanics dictates that two of their attributes—spin and charge—travel at different speeds in one-dimensional wires.
Rice physicists Randy Hulet, Ruwan Senaratne and Danyel Cavazos built an ultracold venue where they could repeatedly view and photograph a pristine version of this quantum spectacle, and they collaborated with theorists from Rice, China, Australia and Italy on the published results.
Quantum simulators exploit quantum properties of real objects like atoms, ions or molecules to solve problems that are difficult or impossible to solve with conventional computers. Rice's spin-charge simulator uses lithium atoms as stand-ins for electrons and a channel of light in place of a 1D electronic wire.
To compare the speed of charge and spin waves, Rice University physicist Danyel Cavazos and colleagues built a quantum simulator that uses ultracold lithium atoms as stand-ins for electrons and a channel of light in place of a 1D electronic wire. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University
Rice University physicist Ruwan Senaratne and colleagues used laser cooling to build a quantum simulator where they could repeatedly view and photograph a quantum effect called spin-charge separation. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University
Rice physicists (from left) Ruwan Senaratne, Randy Hulet, Aashish Kafle and Danyel Cavazos built a quantum simulator to measure spin-charge separation, an effect where spin and charge, traits of indivisible particles called electrons, move through 1D wires at different speeds. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University