Scientists Have Verified the Existence of a Third Type of Magnetism

Scientists have recently developed and captured images of a new magnetic substance called altermagnetic material. Unlike some discoveries that take decades to materialize after being theorized, altermagnetism has quickly gained attention in the scientific community. In a new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature, researchers demonstrate their ability to precisely tune these materials to create specific magnetism directions.

They’ve even confirmed a bold yet well-supported theory—that altermagnetism could merge ferromagnetism with antiferromagnetism, traditionally considered opposing forces. While this discovery may not affect everyday items like refrigerator magnets, it could be a breakthrough for those working on superconductors and topological materials at near-absolute zero temperatures, marking a significant advancement in these fields.

Types of Magnetism

Standard ferromagnetic materials (a term meaning “guiding iron“) operate by exerting a force on nearby objects made of iron or other magnetic elements and alloys. In contrast, antiferromagnetism describes how magnets interact subtly and almost imperceptibly with materials that don’t contain iron.

Electromagnets—created by passing an electrical current through a coiled wire—function in a similar manner but with greater strength, relying on the electrical current. The Earth’s magnetic field, for instance, is partly due to its rotating, molten metal core, which behaves like an electromagnet.

In an altermagnet, however, the direction of spin— which determines magnetism— can shift across the “grid” created by an ideal crystal. This is a material with perfectly organized crystal patterns, free from faults, directional changes, or other natural imperfections. For instance, many natural diamonds are ideal crystals, which contributes to their exceptional clarity. Metals can also form ideal crystals.

Using Photoemission Electron Microscopy to Map Magnetism in Manganese Telluride

In this experiment, the scientists employed polarized photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) to reveal magnetic influences, mapping the entire grid structure of crystalline manganese telluride (MnTe). Their visual representation displayed the underlying crystal structure, with arrows on the grid indicating the magnetism directions at each point. The researchers were also able to manipulate the magnetic spin points.

Earlier this year, researchers presented the first experimental evidence of altermagnetism, but without capturing the material in such detail.

In that study, they used a momentum microscope focused on a specific area above the material to observe how its electrons were spinning, which is crucial to understanding magnetism. This latest work represents a significant step forward in imaging altermagnets in action.

Nanomaterials are of great interest across many research fields. Quantum computers operate at this scale, though they are still far from being practical outside of highly controlled lab environments.

Altermagnetic materials may also revolutionize spintronics, the study and optimization of solid-state devices—including solid-state drives (SSDs) in computers and smartphones—that utilize electron spin. While traditional ferromagnets serve their purpose, they aren’t perfect and can cause crosstalk, blurring separated bits of data.

On the nanoscale, everything we store in our devices depends on the coordinated movement of electrons. If these materials can be improved, it could lead to higher efficiency, increased storage capacity within the same space, and reduced data loss during access. Additionally, as the scientists note in their paper, altermagnets could advance the development of practical superconductors and topological materials.

Read the original article on: Popular Mechanics

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