Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by proving the existence of a new type of magnet called altermagnetism. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize the field of electronics and pave the way for next-generation computers. The team of scientists, led by Professor Tomáš Jungwirth from the Czech Academy of Sciences, conducted their experiments at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) in collaboration with scientists from the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland.
Altermagnetism is a third branch of magnetism, alongside ferromagnets and anti-ferromagnets. Ferromagnets are the type of magnets commonly found on kitchen fridges, while anti-ferromagnets were first identified by French physicist Louis Néel in the 1930s. Altermagnetism was first theorized in 2019 by a team at the Institute of Physics in the Czech Republic and the University of Mainz in Germany.
What makes altermagnetism particularly exciting is that it can be found in existing objects. Professor Jungwirth explains, “Something that people believed was impossible until recent theoretical predictions is in fact possible… And it is not something that exists only in a few obscure materials. It exists in many crystals that people simply had in their drawers.” This means that researchers around the world will now be able to work on harnessing the potential of altermagnets.
The implications of this discovery extend beyond just improving electronic devices. It also has the potential to advance our understanding of condensed-matter physics, particularly in the field of spintronics. Spintronics is a developing field that aims to utilize the spin-state of electrons, in addition to their charge, to carry information. This could lead to significant advancements in computing.
The research conducted by Professor Jungwirth and his team was published in the scientific journal Nature on February 14th. The study, titled ‘Altermagnetic Lifting of Kramers spin degeneracy,’ provides detailed insights into the experimental proof of altermagnetism.
This groundbreaking discovery opens up new possibilities for the future of electronics and computing. With altermagnets now proven to exist and readily available in various crystals, scientists and researchers worldwide can explore their potential applications. The development of next-generation computers and more efficient electronic devices is within reach, thanks to the hard work and dedication of these scientists. As we delve deeper into the field of spintronics, we may witness a revolution in computing that could shape the future of technology.
