Strange Behavior near a Quantum Critical Point (IMAGE)

DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Strange Behavior near a Quantum Critical Point

Caption

Much like black holes (bottom right) are singularities in space, quantum critical points (QCPs) are point-like intersections between different states of a quantum material where all sorts of strange electron behavior are predicted to occur. A SLAC study found strong evidence for one such behavior: As a cuprate superconductor was tuned toward a QCP in the superconducting state at low temperatures, a proliferation of quantum fluctuations gradually melted charge stripes (from top left) - alternating stripes of stronger and weaker electron density - in the material.

Credit

Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

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