elektrides

Elektrides are a class of exotic particles hypothesized to exist in some theoretical models of quantum field theory. The concept of elektrides arises from the idea that fundamental particles might possess not only electric charge but also a kind of internal structure or "electric dipole moment" that can be excited. These internal excitations could, in principle, lead to composite particles with unusual electromagnetic properties.

The term "elektride" suggests a particle that exhibits characteristics analogous to an "exciton" in solid-state physics, but at a fundamental particle level. An exciton is a bound state of an electron and a hole in a semiconductor. Similarly, an elektride might be envisioned as a bound state of more fundamental constituents, or perhaps a single particle with a complex internal structure that can oscillate or reconfigure, leading to an effective electric dipole.

The existence of elektrides is not experimentally confirmed and remains a subject of theoretical investigation. If they were to exist, they would likely have profound implications for our understanding of particle physics and electromagnetism. Their properties would depend heavily on the specific theoretical framework in which they are proposed. Research into such exotic particles is driven by the search for new physics beyond the Standard Model and the desire to unify fundamental forces.