🧲 Goodbye electrons, hello magnons for incredibly faster and more energy-efficient chips

Computers that no longer overheat and operate at lightning speed, while consuming much less energy. This prospect could well become reality thanks to an astonishing discovery that links two fundamental physical phenomena we previously thought were distinct. Researchers have just demonstrated how invisible magnetic waves can generate electrical signals inside materials, paving the way for a new generation of technologies.

In current electronic devices, information travels mainly through the movement of electrons, those small charged particles that circulate in circuits. This movement encounters natural resistance, which causes heating and significant energy loss. Scientists are therefore exploring more efficient alternatives, and this is precisely what makes their latest discovery so promising. They have focused on special magnetic waves called magnons, which could revolutionize how we design electronic chips.


The research team focused on a specific category of materials where magnetic properties organize in alternating patterns. In these structures, magnons can move at extremely high frequencies, potentially a thousand times faster than in conventional magnets. The challenge was to detect and control these magnetic waves, as their effects seemed to cancel each other out. Through advanced computer simulations, scientists were able to observe an unexpected phenomenon: the movement of magnons generates a measurable electrical polarization.

This connection between magnetism and electricity opens up considerable practical possibilities. Researchers explain that it would become possible to detect magnons by measuring the electrical signals they produce. Furthermore, external electric fields, including those from light, could be used to guide their movement. They envision devices where traditional metal conductors would be replaced by magnon channels, allowing information to be transmitted much faster and with minimal energy waste.

The team developed a mathematical framework to understand how the orbital angular momentum of magnons influences their overall behavior. They discovered that when this property interacts with the material's atoms, it generates an electrical polarization. By heating one side of the material more than the other, they also observed that magnons migrate from hot areas to cold areas, thus creating a detectable electrical voltage. These mechanisms now provide scientists with powerful tools to predict and manipulate the transport of magnetic waves.

The work now continues in the laboratory, where researchers are experimentally testing their theoretical predictions. They are particularly studying how magnons interact with light, seeking to determine whether light's angular momentum could be used to orient or detect magnon movement. These investigations could accelerate the development of ultra-fast and extremely energy-efficient computing technologies, permanently transforming our relationship with electronic devices.

How magnons work

Magnons represent a special form of waves that propagate through magnetic materials. To understand their nature, one must imagine electrons as small magnets whose orientation can be changed. When an electron changes direction, this modification is transmitted to neighboring electrons, creating a wave that travels through the material without requiring the physical movement of particles.

Unlike information transport by moving electrons, magnons carry data through successive orientation changes. This characteristic allows them to avoid energy losses related to electrical resistance. These waves can reach phenomenal speeds, far exceeding the capabilities of current technologies.

Controlling magnons represents a major challenge for future technologies. Researchers are working to develop methods to precisely guide these magnetic waves, particularly using electric or light fields. This mastery would open the way to devices where information would circulate almost without friction, significantly reducing the energy consumption of electronic devices.