Fractional Statistics In Anyon Collisions

Two-dimensional systems can host exotic particles called anyons whose quantum statistics are neither bosonic nor fermionic. For example, the elementary excitations of the fractional quantum Hall effect at filling factor nu = 1/m (where m is an odd integer) have been predicted to obey Abelian fractional statistics, with a phase phi associated with the exchange of two particles equal to pi/m. However, despite numerous experimental attempts, clear signatures of fractional statistics have remained elusive. We experimentally demonstrate Abelian fractional statistics at filling factor nu = 1/3 by measuring the current correlations resulting from the collision between anyons at a beamsplitter. By analyzing their dependence on the anyon current impinging on the splitter and comparing with recent theoretical models, we extract phi = pi/3, in agreement with predictions.