Researchers at Rice University found that chiral phonons in a crystal can magnetize the material, aligning electron spins in a way similar to the effect of a strong magnetic field. This discovery challenges established notions in physics, particularly the concept of time-reversal symmetry, and paves the way for advanced research in quantum materials.
Quantum materials hold the key to a future of lightning-speed, energy-efficient information systems. The problem with tapping their transformative potential is that, in solids, the vast number of atoms often drowns out the exotic quantum properties electrons carry.
Rice University researchers in the lab of quantum materials scientist Hanyu Zhu found that when they move in circles, atoms can also work wonders: When the atomic lattice in a rare-earth crystal becomes animated with a corkscrew-shaped vibration known as a chiral phonon, the crystal is transformed into a magnet.
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