Key Points
- Scientists have discovered a new method to control “antiferromagnets,” a unique material that could enable ultra-fast technology.
- The material was hard to use because its internal atomic magnets cancel each other out, making them “invisible” to normal methods.
- The team developed a tiny device that can “see” the magnets move by measuring a “quantum leak” of electrons.
- They also found a way to “push” and control the magnets using an electrical current.
Scientists have taken a big step toward unlocking a ‘holy grail’ of physics: a special type of magnetic material that could lead to ultra-fast computers and communications. This breakthrough gives them a way to finally harness these materials, which have long been too difficult to control.
Think of a regular magnet, where all the tiny atomic magnets inside point in the same direction. The materials in this study, known as antiferromagnets, are distinct. Their tiny magnets are arranged in a way that they cancel each other out. This makes them almost “invisible” from the outside, which is why they have been so difficult to control and use.
The breakthrough comes from making devices a thousand times smaller than before. Researchers have created a tiny “tunnel junction” that operates on a peculiar quantum principle, where electrons can “leak” through a barrier they shouldn’t be able to cross. The scientists found that when the invisible magnets inside the material move, it changes the rate at which electrons leak through. By measuring that leak, they can finally “see” what the magnets are doing at incredibly high speeds.
But seeing is only half the battle. To control the material, the team used a clever trick. They passed an electrical current through another material to create a force that could “push” on the invisible magnets. By twisting the layers of their device, they were even able to push on one layer of magnets without affecting the other.
This new level of control is a huge step forward. It opens the door to creating new kinds of tiny, high-frequency devices. While it’s still early, this research paves the way for the super-fast technologies that scientists have been chasing for decades.
