Wednesday, 11 December 2024
A new class of magnetism called altermagnetism has been imaged for the first time in a new study. The findings could lead to the development of new magnetic memory devices with the potential to increase operation speeds of up to a thousand times.
Altermagnetism is a distinct form of magnetic order where the tiny constituent magnetic building blocks align antiparallel to their neighbours but the structure hosting each one is rotated compared to its neighbours.
Scientists from the 糖心原创’s School of Physics and Astonomy have shown that this new third class of magnetism exists and can be controlled in microscopic devices. The findings have been published today in
Altermagnets consist of magnetic moments that point antiparallel to their neighbours. However, each part of the crystal hosting these tiny moments is rotated with respect to its neighbours. This is like antiferromagnetism with a twist! But this subtle difference has huge ramifications.
Magnetic materials are used in the majority of long term computer memory and the latest generation of microelectronic devices. This is not only a massive and vital industry but also a significant source of global carbon emissions. Replacing the key components with altermagnetic materials would lead to huge increases in speed and efficiency while having the potential to massively reduce our dependency on rare and toxic heavy elements needed for conventional ferromagnetic technology.
Altermagnets combine the favourable properties of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets into a single material. They have the potential to lead to a thousand fold increase in speed of microelectronic components and digital memory while being more robust and energy efficient.
Our experimental work has provided a bridge between theoretical concepts and real-life realisation, which hopefully illuminates a path to developing altermagnetic materials for practical applications.
The new experimental study was carried out at the MAX IV international facility in Sweden. The facility, which looks like a giant metal doughnut, is an electron accelerator, called a synchrotron, that produces x-rays.
X-rays are shone onto the magnetic material and the electrons given off from the surface are detected using a special microscope. This allows an image to be produced of the magnetism in the material with resolution of small features down to the nanoscale.
PhD student, Alfred Dal Din, has been exploring altermagnets for the last two years. This is yet another breakthrough that he has seen during his project. He comments: 'To be amongst the first to see the effect and properties of this promising new class of magnetic materials during my PhD has been an immensely rewarding and challenging privilege.'
Story credits
More information is available from Peter Wadley on Peter.Wadley@nottingham.ac.uk or Oliver Amin on Oliver.Amin@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.