New State of Matter

Classical liquid crystals are a cross between a liquid and a solid in that molecules flow freely (as in a liquid) but maintain their directional orientation (as in a solid). In quantum liquid crystals, electrons behave like the molecules in a standard liquid crystal, giving them some unique properties, such as superconductivity.

When quantum liquid crystals were discovered in 1999, they were two-dimensional; that is, the electrons were confined to a single plane inside a host material. But researchers recently discovered the first three-dimensional quantum liquid crystal in which electrons are free to orient themselves in three axes. Each axis gives the material different magnetic properties, and depending on the direction of the current flow, the magnetic strength and orientation changes.

The discovery will play a significant role in the field of spintronics in creating more efficient computer chips. It may also eventually be the key to building quantum computers by providing a rationale for the development of topological superconductors – a special type of superconductor that is robust enough to maintain quantum properties in spite of environmental interactions or material impurities.