Experimental observation of a new class of materials: Excitonic insulators

A University of Wollongong / Monash University collaboration has found evidence of a new phase of matter predicted in the 1960s: the excitonic insulator.

The unique signatures of an excitonic insulating phase were observed in antimony Sb(110) nanoflakes.

The findings provide a novel strategy to search for more excitonic insulators which is potentially capable of carrying exciton superfluids, and further studies will be required to fully understand the rich physics of this new phase of matter.