New thermopower-based approach could enable detection of fractional quantum Hall states
Researchers from George Mason University, National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Brown University have developed a method based on thermopower to detect fractional quantum Hall states of matter.
Fractional quantum hall (FQH) effect is a rare state of matter that could lead to the development of topological quantum computers, which are believed to be more stable against errors than current quantum computers. Plus, FQH may also facilitate the creation of new quantum materials and applications. However, detecting and studying FQH in detail has been very challenging using the existing methods, which involve measuring a material’s ability to resist electric current flow. In this recent work, the team addressed this challenge using an entirely different approach. Instead of relying on electrical resistivity, the researchers tried a different method based on thermopower — a property where a material generates a small voltage when it is heated in a way that its one side is hot, and the other remains cool.
Source: https://www.graphene-info.com/new-thermopower-based-approach-could-enable-detection-fractional-quantum-hall
