Holon (physics)

Holons (also known as chargons, from English hole or charge, plus the -on prefix for particles) are one of two quasiparticles, along with spinons, that electrons in solids are able to split into during the process of spin–charge separation, when extremely tightly confined at temperatures close to absolute zero.^[1]

Electrons, being of like charge, repel each other. As a result, in order to move past each other in an extremely crowded environment, they are forced to modify their behavior. Research published in July 2009 by the University of Cambridge and the University of Birmingham in England showed that electrons could jump past each other by quantum tunneling, and in order to do so will separate into two particles, named spinons and holons by the researchers.^[2]

References

1. ^ "Discovery About Behavior Of Building Block Of Nature Could Lead To Computer Revolution". ScienceDaily.com. 31 July 2009. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090730141607.htm. Retrieved 1 August 2009. 
2. ^ Jompol, Yodchay; Christopher J. B. Ford, J. P. Griffiths, I. Farrer, G. A. C. Jones, D. Anderson, D. A. Ritchie, T. W. Silk, A. J. Schofield (31 July 2009). "Probing Spin-Charge Separation in a Tomonaga-Luttinger Liquid". Science 325 (5940): 597–601. Bibcode 2009Sci...325..597J. doi:10.1126/science.1171769. PMID 19644117. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/325/5940/597. Retrieved 1 August 2009. 

See also

• Condensed matter physics
• Tomonaga–Luttinger liquid