Revolutionary lighting technology: New paths in materials research discovered!

Revolutionary lighting technology: New paths in materials research discovered!

A team of physicists from the University of Konstanz, led by Davide Bossini, has developed a remarkable method that makes it possible to change the properties of materials using light. This innovative technique aims to excite magnetic states in materials, which could revolutionize the transmission and storage of information at room temperature in the terahertz range. This could be crucial for the future of data technologies.

The process is based on widely available, naturally grown crystals, particularly hematite, and does not require rare materials. This research, published in June 2025, was presented in detail in the journal “Science Advances”. The idea of ​​using magnons, the collective spin excitations in magnetic materials, as information carriers meets the growing demand for new technologies to process large amounts of data.

Technological innovations through magnons

Until now, magnons could only be excited in their lowest frequency states. However, the new process allows precise control of the frequency, amplitude and lifetime of these quantum particles. This occurs through the direct optical excitation of magnon pairs, which results in non-thermal changes in the magnetic properties of the material. Bossini describes this phenomenon as a temporary modification of the “magnetic DNA” of the material.

Hematite, the material used, has an interesting historical significance as it was once used in seafaring for compasses. The results of the research suggest that light-induced Bose-Einstein condensates from high-energy magnons are possible at room temperature. This could enable research into quantum effects without complex cooling.

Supercurrents at room temperature

A separate but related research by physicists led by Professor Dr. Burkard Hillebrands at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern recently achieved a breakthrough. They were able to detect a supercurrent of magnons at room temperature for the first time. Theoretical physicists from Israel and Ukraine were also involved in this study. These findings could significantly increase the efficiency of future data processing.

These new superconductors exhibit quantum phenomena that normally only occur at temperatures below freezing. Hillebrands highlights the important role of macroscopic quantum states in future technology, while researchers use Bose-Einstein condensates to explore the laws of the quantum world related to supercurrents.

As quantum particles of spin waves in magnetic materials, magnons are easy to create, modify and detect, while also consuming little energy. This advance opens up new applications in basic research and could represent an alternative to conventional semiconductor technologies.

Quantum physics and new materials

Additionally, an international research team, including the University of Würzburg, has developed a special form of superconductivity that could potentially advance the development of quantum computers. Superconductors are known for conducting electricity without resistance, making them ideal candidates for electronic components in high-technology devices.

The research group constructed a hybrid component made of a stable superconductor and a topological insulator. This combination allows superconducting properties to be precisely controlled by external magnetic fields, leading to an exotic state in which superconductivity and magnetism coexist. This new design could stabilize quantum bits, offering promising prospects for future quantum computers.

The discoveries in quantum physics and new materials by the various research groups show that science is at a turning point. The findings about magnons and superconductors offer not only insights into fundamental physics, but also practical applications that could change the way data is processed in the future.

This important research is part of larger projects that are supported by various institutions and funding programs, such as the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat at the University of Würzburg and the German Research Foundation (DFG). Collaboration between international researchers could pave the way for innovative technologies in data processing and quantum computing. Further details about this work can be found in the original publications of the relevant research teams.

For more information read the reports from University of Konstanz, Chemie.de and University of Würzburg.