Led by Deepak Singh and Carsten Ullrich of the University's College of Arts and Science, the research team, including students and postdoctoral fellows, has explored the nanoscale world - where atoms and molecules construct unique properties yet to be fully understood. Their discovery reveals that magnetism is far more dynamic than previously believed.
"We've all seen the bubbles that form in sparkling water or other carbonated drink products," said Ullrich, Curators' Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy. "The quasiparticles are like those bubbles, and we found they can freely move around at remarkably fast speeds."
This mobility of quasiparticles could significantly impact spintronics, a field focused on the electron's spin rather than its charge. Spintronics, or "spin electronics," enables energy-efficient data storage and processing. Singh noted that devices powered by spintronics, such as cell phone batteries, could achieve unparalleled efficiency.
"The spin nature of these electrons is responsible for the magnetic phenomena," Singh explained. "Electrons have two properties: a charge and a spin. So, instead of using the conventional charge, we use the rotational, or spinning, property. It's more efficient because the spin dissipates much less energy than the charge."
The discovery resulted from collaboration between Singh's experimental team and Ullrich's modeling group. Singh's expertise in magnetic materials, along with experiments conducted by former graduate student Jiason Guo, allowed the team to refine material properties. Ullrich's group, supported by postdoctoral researcher Daniel Hill, analyzed the findings and developed models to understand the quasiparticle behavior. Advanced spectrometers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory played a critical role in this analysis.
Research Report:Emergent topological quasiparticle kinetics in constricted nanomagnets
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