Libor Šmejkal: Breaking the Wall to Quantum Magnets

How a New Type of Magnetism Can Lead to Lossless Electronics

Before the discovery of altermagnets, researchers studied ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Ferromagnets are commonly used but suffer energy loss due to resistance when electricity passes through them. Antiferromagnets, where magnetic moments cancel out, also experience energy losses in electronic devices due to electrical resistance. These limitations hindered the efficiency of electronic devices and wasted energy.

The breakthrough with altermagnets lies in their ability to conduct electricity without resistance. This is possible because of their unique electron arrangement and their capability to detect strong quantum mechanical fields. Libor Šmejkal is a research team leader at the Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, and an associate researcher at the Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences.

At Falling Walls, Šmejkal will delve into his breakthrough of altermagnets—a discovery that has the potential to revolutionise the way we design and use electronic technology, making it much more efficient and sustainable.