Observing how light makes a metal—new details about the insulator-to-metal transition in a quantum material

With just the flick of a switch, quantum materials can undergo drastic changes. One notable example is the insulator-to-metal transition, a reversible physical phenomenon in which a material shifts from an insulating state, which will not conduct electricity, to a metallic one that will. With just the flick of a switch, quantum materials can undergo drastic changes. One notable example is the insulator-to-metal transition, a reversible physical phenomenon in which a material shifts from an insulating state, which will not conduct electricity, to a metallic one that will. Condensed Matter Quantum Physics Phys.org – latest science and technology news stories