Cooling is a long-standing technological challenge. Standard cooling cycle based on vapor compression exploits expensive helium gas to reach temperatures near absolute zero. Adiabatic demagnetization known since nearly a century could be a viable alternative if compact and durable paramagnetic materials were available. A team of researchers from the University of Augsburg used their recent experience in creating quantum-disordered magnetic states to design a promising new material for adiabatic demagnetization cooling.

Breaking a magnet into two pieces, reveals a north and a south pole in each of them. Independent magnetic monopoles have been known as emergent excitations in one special class of magnetic crystals only. Researchers of the University of Augsburg together with international collaboration partners found a new flavor of magnetic monopoles in a material which is even electrically conducting.

A Chinese-German research cooperation involving the University of Augsburg has demonstrated properties in a metal that cannot be explained by the standard theory. The results were obtained on a special metallic compound with unusual magnetic characteristics – scientists call it magnetic frustration.  The cooperation observed a novel, “quantum critical behaviour” in the metal at very low temperatures and at high pressures and strong magnetic fields.

Für seine innovativen Beiträge zur Synthese von komplexen magnetischen und stark-korrelierten Materialien ist der Augsburger EKM-Physiker Dr. Anton Jesche von der International Organization for Crystal Growth mit dem in der Kristallzüchter-Community hoch angesehenen Schieber-Preis ausgezeichnet worden.

Augsburger Physikern gelingt der experimentelle Nachweis fundamentaler Prozesse in Quanten-Spinflüssigkeiten.

Ein Bit pro Atom: Augsburger Physiker erreichen gemeinsam mit US-amerikanischen Kollegen das wohl ultimative Limit für einen nanoskaligen Datenspeicher.