This week, Harvard University researchers Thomas J. Through this process, they have dreamed up axion quasiparticles that almost perfectly replicate the behavior of theoretical axion particles. This landmark accomplishment was reported in the journal Nature on April 16, 2023. It represents a significant leap forward in our exploration of these elusive particles.
Axions are very light, hypothetical elementary particles. They have been proposed to address a host of outstanding puzzles in physics, in particular those associated with dark matter. These newly generated axion quasiparticles are the first observational evidence that look like axion particles. To make these devices, researchers synthesized them from thin sheets of manganese bismuth telluride. This resource continues to receive high interest ever since its development in early 2019.
This journey to this finding started with a concept suggested back in 2010. Our researchers worked for 15 years to make this dream a reality. Their work shed light on the art and science of producing these highly desirable, yet complex, types of quasiparticles. Quasiparticles are collectively defined to be collective excitations in a system and act as an important concept in theoretical physics.
Lead chemists Jianxiang Qiu and Suyang Xu, both at Harvard University, were principal investigators on the research. They truly came together to make this important milestone happen. Their findings show that axion quasiparticles act precisely as predicted by theory.
“They behave almost exactly the same way as the axion particle,” – Suyang Xu
On the molecular side, producing these quasiparticles is quite a feat of fundamental, pure science. It unlocks thrilling new directions for study in particle physics. To garner insight into the properties and behaviors of real axion particles, scientists are studying axion quasiparticles. This novel research has the potential to make history in ways that revolutionize our understanding of dark matter.
Beyond the lab, the importance of this discovery cannot be understated. It could have incredible ramifications for the future of physics. As they study these axion quasiparticles in the future, they might learn even more about these fundamental building blocks of the universe.
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