In 1956, theoretical physicists predicted that electrons in a solid can do something strange. While they normally have a mass and an electric charge, Pines asserted that they can combine to form a composite particle that is massless, neutral, and does not interact with light. He called this particle a 'demon.' Since then, it has been speculated to play an important role in the behaviors of a wide variety of metals. Unfortunately, the same properties that make it interesting have allowed it to elude detection since its prediction.
In 1956, theoretical physicist David Pines predicted that electrons in a solid can do something strange. While they normally have a mass and an electric charge, Pines asserted that they can combine to form a composite particle that is massless, neutral, and does not interact with light. He called this particle a"demon." Since then, it has been speculated to play an important role in the behaviors of a wide variety of metals.
"Demons have been theoretically conjectured for a long time, but experimentalists never studied them," Abbamonte said."In fact, we weren't even looking for it. But it turned out we were doing exactly the right thing, and we found it."One of the most important discoveries of condensed matter physics is that electrons lose their individuality in solids. Electric interactions make the electrons combine to form collective units.
Demons' neutrality means that they do not leave a signature in standard condensed matter experiments."The vast majority of experiments are done with light and measure optical properties, but being electrically neutral means that demons don't interact with light," Abbamonte said."A completely different kind of experiment was needed.
Husain, now a research scientist at Quantinuum, recalled,"At first, we had no idea what it was. Demons are not in the mainstream. The possibility came up early on, and we basically laughed it off. But, as we started ruling things out, we started to suspect that we had really found the demon."
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