Science Daily March 20, 2019
An international team of researchers (USA – Princeton University, Louisiana State University, industry, Taiwan, Germany, China) has observed chiral properties in the DNA-like spiraling structure, or helicoid, in cobalt-silicon and rhodium-silicon crystals. In some cases, chirality can be flipped proving that this is a new state of quantum matter, which is also exhibiting nearly ideal topological surface properties. Its topological conductivity was measured to be about 100 times larger than that observed in previously identified topological metals. They can produce an electrical current of a fixed strength when you shine a light on them regardless of the sample size or its purity. The research could lead to a new type of superconductor or the exploration of a new quantum effect… read more.
This illustration shows a repeated 2D patterning of a property related to electrical conductivity, known as the surface Fermi arc, in rhodium-silicon crystal samples. Credit: Hasan Lab/Princeton University