BIPM150 Poster Session: Pushing the Frontiers of Electrical Metrology with Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect
As quantum standards reshape the International System of Units (SI), researchers are seeking new ways to make these advances more accessible. Among the most challenging? Realizing the ohm — the unit of electrical resistance — under practical, scalable conditions.
At the BIPM’s Scientific Symposium held during the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention, Dr Martina Marzano of the Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), Italy, presented a poster entitled “Towards an easier realisation of the ohm”.
The poster highlights the QuAHMET project, a major international effort to advance quantum resistance standards through a novel physical phenomenon: the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect (QAHE).
Unlike the conventional Quantum Hall Effect (QHE) — which underpins the current definition of the ohm but requires high magnetic fields and ultra-low temperatures — this research explains how QAHE devices will be able to produce quantised resistance without an external magnetic field, once the devices have been magnetised.
By enabling a simpler, more robust realization of the ohm — without needing high magnetic fields — QAHE-based devices therefore hold real promise for expanding access to quantum resistance standards beyond specialized laboratories.
What is the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect?
QAHE is a physical effect in certain materials where an electric current flows around the edges of a sample without dissipation—producing a quantised resistance—without requiring an applied magnetic field. This makes it a compelling candidate for developing compact and scalable quantum resistance standards.
Because it eliminates the need for large, complex equipment, QAHE-based devices could significantly broaden participation in electrical quantum metrology.
The Poster
The poster was co-authored by Luca Callegaro, Juan Medved, Charles Gould, Johannes Hoffmann, Nathaniel Huang, Nobu-Hisa Kaneko, Jan Kučera, Mehmet Cengiz Onbasli, Ayşe Gőkçe Őzbay, Hansjoerg Scherer and Susmit Kumar — with institutional affiliations spanning INRIM, PTB, METAS, AIST, CMI, NPL and universities across Europe and Asia.
Listen to a 2-minute audio recording of Dr Marzano explaining their poster, here.
Watch Dr Marzano’s Presentation
Expanding access to quantum electrical standards is a key step in democratizing metrology. By developing more practical realization techniques, projects like QuAHMET help deliver the precision of quantum measurement to a broader global community.
BIPM150: Nine Standout Scientific Posters
Chosen from nearly 400 submissions received from around the world, these standout posters address some of the most pressing challenges in modern metrology—from quantum technologies and digital transformation to health, education and sustainability.
Each of these 9 posters was selected by the BIPM Poster Committee from one of nine key topic areas, reflecting the breadth and innovation driving the global metrology community. Learn more.