Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have identified previously unseen oscillation patterns known as Floquet states inside extremely small magnetic vortices. In contrast to earlier studies that relied on powerful laser pulses to generate these states, the Dresden team found that gentle stimulation using magnetic waves is enough. This discovery not only challenges existing ideas in fundamental physics but may also serve as a kind of universal connector linking electronics, spintronics, and quantum technologies. The findings were published in Science.
Magnetic vortices form in ultrathin disks made of materials like nickel-iron, often just micrometers or even nanometers in size. Inside these structures, tiny magnetic moments, which behave like miniature compass needles, align in circular patterns. When disturbed, waves ripple through the system in a way similar to a stadium crowd performing a coordinated "wave." Each magnetic moment tilts slightly and passes its motion to the next, creating a chain reaction. These collective wave-like excitations are known as magnons.
"These magnons can transmit information through a magnet without the need for charge transport," explains project leader Dr. Helmut Schultheiß from the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research at HZDR. "This capability makes them highly attractive for research into next-generation computing technologies."
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