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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Controlled quantum effects and spin technology <br/>- from non-equilibrium physics to functional magnetics

Final Report Summary - CONQUEST (Controlled quantum effects and spin technology - from non-equilibrium physics to functional magnetics)

The research project CONQUEST (Controlled Quantum Effects and Spin Technology) aimed at developing ways to control magnetic model systems, so that their properties could be controlled dynamically and studied out of equilibrium. Two main directions were pursued:
1) Exploiting very strong coupling between the electronic magnetic moments and the magnetic moments of the nuclei in the ferromagnet LiHoF4, a GHz spectroscope was constructed, which allowed studying the quantum entanglement between these electronic and nuclear moments. This development is believed to provide a new avenue for studying entanglement in connected mangetic systems.
2) Certain magnetic materials have been discovered to exhibit nano-sized twisting magnetic structures called skyrmions, which are intensely studied due to the potential for new information storage and spin-tronics applications. In CONQUEST it was demonstrated for the first time that dissipationless electric fields can control, rotate and even create such skyrmions, which is an important step towards potential future applications.