An international group of scientists from Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and other countries announced the discovery of a new type of magnetism, altermagnetism. This promises a breakthrough in further research and could lead to the creation of new technologies. The article was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature.
Physicists have experimentally demonstrated the alternating magnetic properties of manganese telluride using photoemission spectroscopy.
Until recently, two types of magnetism were known: ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism.
Fundamental magnetic phases are determined by the specific self-arrangement of magnetic moments (electron spins) and the atoms carrying these moments in the crystal lattice of the materials.
Ferromagnets are a familiar type of magnet that many of us use to decorate our refrigerator doors. In them, the spin of electrons is directed in one direction, creating macroscopic magnetism.
In antiferromagnetic materials, the spins are directed in alternative directions, resulting in the materials having no macroscopic net magnetization and therefore not sticking to the refrigerator.
Alternating magnets have a special combination of spin arrangement and crystal lattice symmetry. As in antiferromagnets, the rotations occur alternately and as a result, there is no net magnetization.
However, alternating magnets also produce an electronic band structure with strong spin polarization that changes direction as it passes through the energy bands of the material. This results in very useful properties that are more similar to ferromagnets, as well as some completely new properties.
Scientists say alternative magnets could revolutionize a new field of technology known as spintronics. It is used in the development of solid-state batteries and computer memory.
The use of traditional ferromagnets in memory modules is complicated by the fact that their magnetic properties cause interference. This problem can be solved using antiferromagnets, but such materials lack a number of useful properties of ferromagnets.
The use of alternative magnets should solve all the problems, as they combine the advantages of previous types of magnetism without their disadvantages. Until recently, such a combination was considered fundamentally unrealizable.
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Source: Gazeta
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