Show-Me State Times

Researchers at the University of Missouri have made a significant discovery in the field of nanotechnology. Deepak Singh and Carsten Ullrich, along with their teams, identified a new type of quasiparticle present in all magnetic materials. This finding challenges previous understandings of magnetism.

Carsten Ullrich explained the phenomenon by comparing it to bubbles in carbonated drinks: "The quasiparticles are like those bubbles, and we found they can freely move around at remarkably fast speeds." The potential applications of this discovery could lead to advancements in electronics, particularly making them faster and more energy-efficient.

Spintronics is one area that could benefit from this research. Unlike traditional electronics that use electrical charge, spintronics utilizes the natural spin of electrons. "Electrons have two properties: a charge and a spin," said Singh. He added that using electron spin is more efficient because it dissipates less energy than charge.

Singh's team conducted experiments to refine magnetic material properties while Ullrich's team analyzed results and developed models. The study was supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences.

The work involved contributions from former graduate student Jiason Guo, now a postdoctoral fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Daniel Hill as well as scientists Valeria Lauter, Laura Stingaciu, and Piotr Zolnierczuk from Oak Ridge.