MIT researchers discover a new kind of magnetism

‘Quantum spin liquid’ could have applications in new computer memory storage

December 21, 2012

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MIT physicists grew this pure crystal of herbertsmithite in their laboratory. This sample, which took 10 months to grow, is 7 mm long (just over a quarter-inch) and weighs 0.2 grams. (Credit: Tianheng Han/MIT)

MIT researchers have demonstrated experimentally the existence of a fundamentally new kind of magnetic behavior called a quantum spin liquid (QSL),adding to the two previously known states of magnetism.

Ferromagnetism — the simple magnetism of a bar magnet or compass needle — has been known for centuries. In a second type of magnetism,antiferromagnetism, the magnetic fields of the ions within a metal or alloy cancel each other out./.../