How a tetrahedral substance can be more symmetrical than a spherical atom: A new type of symmetry Sc
How a tetrahedral substance can be more symmetrical than a spherical atom: A new type of symmetry
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have theoretically demonstrated that special tetrahedron nanostructures composed of certain metals have a higher degree of symmetry than the geometrical symmetry of spherical atoms. Nanomaterials with unique and unprecedented electrical and magnetic properties arising from this symmetry will be developed and used for next-generation electronic devices.
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Studying symmetry, one of the most fundamental concepts in physics and chemistry, can facilitate a deeper understanding of the laws shaping our universe.
Atoms naturally have the highest degree of geometrical symmetry, corresponding to the spherical symmetry. An interesting property often arising from symmetry is a high degree of degeneracy–a characteristic of quantum energy levels wherein a given energy level can correspond simultaneously to two or more different states in a quantum system. Degeneracy gives rise to properties including high conductivity and magnetism, which could be exploited to create novel electronic materials. Unfortunately, given the limitations of geometrical symmetry, no substance is known to have a higher degree of degeneracy than spherical atoms (Fig. 1). But what if substances could have a different type of symmetry leading to a higher degree of degeneracy? How could such a symmetry be explained?
