Through a tabletop study, scientists have discovered a new particle or a quantum excitation, which was previously undetectable. The axial Higgs mode, the new elusive particle is a magnetic relative of the mass-defining Higgs Boson particle. Currently, scientists use the Standard Model of Particle Physics to explain the most building blocks of the universe. According to it, protons and neutrons and leptons which include electrons form up every matter known.
The Higgs Boson particle was discovered a decade ago on July 4, 2012, and helped clarify the concept of mass. According to Kenneth Burch, a physics professor at Boston College and leading author of the new research, the particle is still a magnetic moment.
The Higgs Boson particle was discovered through experiments in a massive particle collider, whereas the team of scientists used a tabletop experiment format. RTe3, which is a rare-earth tritelluride and a well-studied quantum material, was developed at room temperature. It is not every day you find a new particle sitting on your tabletop, according to Burch.
According to Burch, RTe3 has similar properties to the theory that is behind the production of axial Higgs mode. Despite the challenges of the experiment, he said, studying quantum properties of particles often requires a complex setup that includes high-powered lasers and huge magnets.
To deal with these difficulties, the team resorted to a unique use of light scattering and chosen a suitable quantum simulator. Burch said they spotted the properties of the mode using a scattering technique. As such, we were able to discern the hidden magnetic component and demonstrate the discovery of the first axial Higgs mode.
