Evidence of the fractional quantum spin Hall effect in moire MoTe(2). (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509375/)

These scientists wanted to study a special kind of material called Quantum spin Hall insulators. These materials are like regular insulators, but they have some unique properties that make them very interesting to study. In their study, the scientists looked at a specific material called twisted bilayer MoTe2.

They found something very exciting - a new type of Quantum spin Hall insulator that behaves in a different way compared to what was previously known. In this new material, when the edges of the material are studied, they found that the conductance (how well electricity can flow through the material) was not what they expected. Instead of the usual whole numbers, they found fractions like 3/2, 1, 2, and 3.

This discovery is important because it suggests the presence of new and unexpected properties in these materials. It could lead to the development of new technologies and further our understanding of how materials behave at the smallest scales. The scientists believe that this new finding opens up the possibility of discovering even more interesting things in these types of materials in the future.

Kang K., Shen B., Qiu Y., Zeng Y., Xia Z., Watanabe K., Taniguchi T., Shan J., Mak KF. Evidence of the fractional quantum spin Hall effect in moire MoTe(2). Nature. 2024 Mar 20. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07214-5.