{"id":20868,"date":"2026-10-09T12:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/?p=20868"},"modified":"2026-10-09T12:06:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:06:24","slug":"liquid-crystal-like-magnetism-explains-puzzling-properties-in-a-rare-earth-compound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.theck1.no\/?p=20868","title":{"rendered":"Liquid-crystal-like magnetism explains puzzling properties in a rare-earth compound"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-rewritten:<\/strong> This is a summary of an article from Phys.org, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.<\/p>\n

Phys.org • October 8, 2026<\/strong><\/div>\n\n

Researchers led by Pengcheng Dai at Rice University discovered that quantum spins in the rare-earth compound YbMnBi\u2082 behave like molecules in a liquid crystal. In this state, spins favor a specific direction without forming large-scale magnetic order. This phenomenon was observed when the team fired neutron beams at crystals of YbMnBi\u2082 and a related calcium compound to measure spin fluctuations under varying temperatures and magnetic fields.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As the ytterbium compound cooled from 450 K (177\u00b0C), its manganese spins began fluctuating more strongly in certain directions around 400 K (260\u00b0F). This occurred even though the material remained too warm for magnetic order to set in at approximately 290 K (62\u00b0F). The calcium compound showed no such effect, confirming that the unique behavior belongs specifically to the ytterbium-based material.<\/p>\n

Dai’s team proposes that heavy ytterbium atoms tie electron motion closely to their spins, creating a twisted arrangement that deflects moving electrons. This explains why currents of electricity and heat are pushed sideways far more strongly than expected in magnetic fields. The discovery could guide efforts to create similar effects in other materials for spintronics, an emerging technology that uses spin rather than electrical charge to carry information. Because the effect appears without magnetic order and near room temperature, it holds promise for practical devices.<\/p>\n

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Source:<\/strong> Phys.org • October 8, 2026<\/p>\n

Read the original article at Phys.org →<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from Phys.org, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story. Phys.org • October 8, 2026 Researchers led by Pengcheng Dai at Rice University discovered that quantum spins in the<\/p>\n

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