Researchers at Princeton University in the US say they have made the first direct observation of a Wigner crystal – a structure consisting solely of electrons arranged in a lattice-like configuration. The finding, made by using scanning tunnelling microscopy to examine a material known as Bernal-stacked graphene, confirms a nearly century-old theory that electrons can assemble into a closely-packed lattice without having to orbit around an atom. The work could help scientists discover other phases of exotic matter in which electrons behave collectively.
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