Electrons—the infinitesimally small particles that are known to zip around atoms—continue to amaze scientists despite the more than a century that scientists have studied them. Now, physicists at Princeton University have pushed the boundaries of our understanding of these minute particles by visualizing, for the first time, direct evidence for what is known as the Wigner crystal—a strange kind of matter that is made entirely of electrons.

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Physicists at Princeton University have visualized the Wigner crystal for the first time, providing direct evidence for this strange form of matter made entirely of electrons. The crystal forms due to repulsion between electrons rather than attraction and follows the laws of quantum physics. The researchers used a scanning tunneling microscope to image the crystal and discovered its triangular configuration and long-range stability. They also observed the zero-point motion of electrons and plan to investigate the crystal's melting and transitions into other liquid phases.

Quantum crystal of frozen electrons—the Wigner crystal—is visualized for the first time