Impression of an iron oxide crystal lattice. Red: spins of iron ions, Blue: oxygen ions. Green: electrons in their orbit responsible for the exchange interaction. The interaction keeps the spins aligned. A light pulse excites the electrons, changes the exchange interaction and thus releases the spins.
Researchers find light can switch magnetic field - Could revolutionize data storage as no heat is released
09/16/2015 - 14:41
An international team led by Radboud University physicists has discovered that reversing the poles of magnets must be possible without a heating or a magnetic field.. A strong pulse of light can have a direct effect on the strong quantum mechanical 'exchange interaction', therefore changing the magnetism (Nature Communications, 16 September 2015).
In 2007, Professor Rasing and his group at Radboud University showed for the first time that fast pulses of laser light can reverse the poles of magnets.
http://futuristech.info/posts/resea...lutionize-data-storage-as-no-heat-is-released
http://phys.org/news/2015-09-route-magnets.html
