SMRTR Science & EngineeringAug 11, 2026Interesting Engineering

Electron movement spotted in fragile quantum state using light by scientists

SMRTR summary

Scientists at the University of Basel and Technical University of Munich used light to reveal how electrons move inside a Wigner crystal, a rare quantum state first predicted in 1934. By cooling tungsten diselenide and shining light on it, they discovered that light creates hybrid particles called polarons, which act as probes revealing the crystal's internal behavior.

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