Breakthrough in Physics: Decades-Old Quantum Puzzle Solved as Graphene Electrons Challenge Fundamental Laws!

Recent research reveals that electrons in graphene can flow like a perfect fluid, presenting exciting possibilities for science and technology. This breakthrough opens the door to advanced quantum technologies.

For years, scientists have wondered: Can electrons behave like a flawless liquid? The challenge has been detecting this state in most materials due to imperfections that disrupt flow. Now, a team at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and collaborators in Japan have observed this unique electron behavior in ultra-clean graphene samples, as reported in Nature Physics.

According to Professor Arindam Ghosh from IISc, “It is amazing that there is so much to explore in just a single layer of graphene even after two decades since its discovery.” This single-layer material is known for its strength and excellent electrical properties.

The team found that when electrical conductivity increased, thermal conductivity decreased, which is contrary to the well-known Wiedemann-Franz law that states these two properties should be directly linked. Their observations showed a deviation from this law by more than 200 times at low temperatures, indicating a remarkable separation of charge and heat conduction mechanisms. This suggests that both types of conduction rely on a universal constant tied to electron movement.

This unique behavior occurs near the “Dirac point,” a state in graphene achieved by adjusting the number of electrons. In this state, electrons move together like liquid, displaying properties akin to water but with much lower resistance.

Aniket Majumdar, a PhD student and lead author of the study, notes, “This water-like behavior is termed a Dirac fluid, drawing parallels to quark-gluon plasma found in high-energy physics.” The team measured the viscosity of this fluid and discovered it’s nearly perfect, even better than any known fluids.

The implications of these findings are significant. Graphene could serve as a low-cost platform for exploring complex phenomena in high-energy physics, like black-hole thermodynamics. Furthermore, this Dirac fluid behavior in graphene could enhance quantum sensors, making them capable of detecting very weak electrical signals and magnetic fields.

As science continues to unravel the mysteries of graphene, this research demonstrates its vast potential across various fields, from fundamental physics to practical technology applications.

For further details, you can explore the original study: “Universality in quantum critical flow of charge and heat in ultraclean graphene” in Nature Physics: DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02972-z.

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Electrons,Graphene,Nanomaterials,Quantum Materials,Quantum Physics