The proposed framework presents a quantum-mechanical effect by which previous unusual experimental observations on chiral magnets can be explained. Credit: Institute of Science Tokyo
Quantum fluctuations influence direction-dependent electrical transport in chiral magnets, researchers from Science Tokyo report. In chiral magnetic systems, electric current flows differently depending on its direction, but the role of quantum effects in this behavior has remained unclear. Through theoretical analysis, the researchers showed that chiral magnetic systems exhibit logarithmic temperature dependence at low temperatures, offering new insights into electron transport in magnetic materials. These findings are expected to play a crucial role in spintronics.
Chiral magnets are a special class of magnetic materials in which atomic-scale magnetic moments twist into complex patterns, such as helices and vortices. These unusual spin structures can give rise to equally unusual electrical behavior. One example is nonreciprocal current, in which electric current flows more easily in one direction than the other. This effect is attracting growing interest among physicists not only because it reveals subtle aspects of electron-spin interactions, but also because it could be useful for magnetic sensing and spintronic devices.
