Weizmann Institute physicists have demonstrated, for the first time, the existence of “quasiparticles” with one quarter the charge of an electron. This finding could be a first step toward creating exotic types of quantum computers that might be powerful, yet highly stable.

Quarter-charge quasiparticles have been sought as the basis of the theoretical “topographical quantum computer.” When particles such as electrons, photons, or even those with odd fractional charges change places with one another, there is little overall effect. In contrast, quarter-charge particle exchanges might weave a “braid” that preserves information on the particles’ history.