Researchers have developed platinum-infused metallic magnetic nanofilms that are five times more efficient, presenting an innovative energy-saving solution.
A team from Tohoku University, including Mr. Koki Nukui, Assistant Professor Satoshi Iihama, and Professor Shigemi Mizukami, has made a remarkable breakthrough in opto-magnetic technology, achieving an opto-magnetic torque efficiency that is about five times higher than that of standard magnets. This advancement has important implications for the creation of light-driven spin memory and storage systems.
Opto-magnetic torque is a technique that generates a force on magnets, allowing for a more effective change in their orientation using light. By developing alloy nanofilms with up to 70% platinum mixed into cobalt, the researchers found that the special relativistic quantum mechanics associated with platinum significantly enhances the magnetic torque. Their research indicated that this increase in opto-magnetic torque is due to the electron orbital angular momentum created by circularly polarized light and relativistic quantum mechanical effects.
This milestone means that the same opto-magnetic effect can now be achieved with just one-fifth of the previous light intensity, leading to more energy-efficient opto-magnetic devices. The results not only offer new perspectives on the physics of electron orbital angular momentum within metallic magnetic materials but also aid in the advancement of high-efficiency spin memory and storage technologies that utilize light to encode data.
“These advancements may lead to quicker and more energy-efficient devices in the future,” notes Mizukami.
The research contributes to the increasing interest in opto-electronic fusion technologies that merge electronic and optical elements for future applications. This finding represents a significant advancement in the manipulation of nanomagnetic materials through light and magnetism.
