Physicists Identify 'Octupolar' Magnetism, With Implications for Quantum Technologies

While most magnets have two poles (north and south, or positive and negative), recent advances in quantum mechanics have revealed an "octupolar order," writes Phys.org, where a pattern of particles in a crystalline structure "behaves as if it has eight magnetic poles rather than the familiar two." Now, a team led by quantum physicists at the University of Toronto has established a new method for observing quantum magnetic states using light to probe the atomic vibrations produced as electrons spin. The work is a critical first step toward harnessing multipolar magnetism for practical technologies, including next-generation data storage and computing devices. "We identified new signatures of a hidden type of magnetic state which cannot be detected using ordinary probes," says Arun Paramekanti, a professor in the Department of Physics and the Center for Quantum Information & Quantum Control in the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto, and senior author of a study published in Physical Review Letters that describes the findings. "Our research opens up the possibility for using higher-order magnets in several applications including controllable read-write memory elements found in everyday computers...."

By directing a special type of rotating light at magnetic materials, the team observed a clear optical fingerprint of the otherwise hidden magnetic order.... The findings offer a new tool for uncovering and manipulating previously inaccessible forms of magnetism, opening new avenues for quantum technology development.

Open version.

[Ostracus]

Unpaywalled version. [arxiv.org]

Re:

[Required Snark]

I understand almost none of it, but sometimes I plow through things like this to try and get a bare glimpse of what's going on.

It's a theoretical study of the interactions of phonons, i.e. quantized vibration in condensed matter. If the phonons have handedness then pseudo-particles can form have eight fold symmetry. They suggest known physical system with these properties and how they might be detected.

That's all I've got. Sorry no pussy jokes. Maybe this time I'm the grownup in the room.

Re:

[OrangAsm]

I have eight poles for Octupussy.

Re:

[jenningsthecat]

I have eight poles for Octupussy.

Yup, the username checks out.

Re:

[fahrbot-bot]

I have eight poles for Octupussy.

Fun Fact: "Octupolar" was the original title for that film, but it didn't stick.

Spelling

[rossdee]

Shouldn't that be Octopolar ?

Re:

[znrt]

it should, but some victorian era physicist with spelling problems liked it so and because a group of victorian era physicists with spelling problems is a movement, it stuck. it's only used in this physics context. kind of an inside joke, i guess, because these nerds had to learn latin and old greek in school.

How many more unknown unknowns?

[blue trane]

As our sensors improve what magical things will we be able to build (think cellphone to a boomer) and how will capitalism create a scarcity and meter text messages (remember the early plans?) just to get us used to thinking that texting is an expensive, very scarce resource?

Pole names?

[ukoda]

I was wondering what the pole names would be. I checked the paper, yea, nah I wasn't going to find the answer there. So how about N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, and NW?