News

Terahertz Spintronics: toward Terahertz Spin-based Devices

THz spintronics is a novel research field that combines magnetism and spintronic with ultrafast optics. Although ultrafast demagnetization of ferromagnetic materials at picosecond timescale has been first observed already three decades ago, recent years have seen the rapid development of THz spintronic devices stemming from ground breaking studies. Many studies pushed the GHz limits of standard spintronic devices to the THz range by investigating new materials and spin-orbit interactions at ultrafast time scale. Especially, the development of broadband and high power spintronic THz emitters based on simple nanometer thin ferromagnetic / heavy metal bilayers holds the prospect to extend the THz field and widen its applications that has long while been limited to niches for astronomers and spectroscopists.

In the last years, the numerous improvements made in material research (such as on topological insulators and antiferromagnetic materials), interface quality and device engineering have been central to both explore spin-based physics at THz frequencies and investigate to new concepts of spin based THz devices. These cover the full THz block chain (broad and narrowband THz generation and detection, together with control of radiation properties such as polarization and ellipticity) as well as new approaches for THz imaging and encoding THz information. The widespread interest and progress in spin-based THz physics and devices continues to accelerate requiring joint efforts from magnetism, optics and engineering research communities. This workshop will bring together world-leading scientists from these broad range of communities, generating further collaborations and developmentsin this emerging field.

Young Research Leaders Group Workshop: Recent advances in non-equilibrium and magnetic phenomena

In nature, all the most interesting phenomena are non-equilibrium processes, whether it be star explosions, hurricanes or electrons flowing in metals. In recent decades, the invention of new theoretical tools combined with considerable gains in computational power have enabled physicists to investigate and understand increasingly sophisticated non-equilibrium systems.
Magnetic systems provide an excellent playground for investigating non-equilibrium phenomena. Spins couple effectively to temperature gradients, oscillating magnetic fields, charge and heat currents, or laser pulses. This gives rise to phenomena like magnon BEC, the ultrafast switching of magnetic domains, novel types of phase transitions, or rapidly moving magnetic skyrmions and domain walls.
At the same time, the language of quantum magnetism can also be used to describe completely different kinds of systems, for example ultracold atoms in cavities or the qubits of quantum computers. These systems provide new ideas and challenges to the field of non-equilibrium magnetism, e.g., on the role of dissipation, measurement and entanglement.

By bringing together young researchers from both magnetism and more broad non-equilibrium topics with theoretical and experimental backgrounds we hope to learn about each others’ areas of expertise and build future collaborations to advance these fields. Science benefits from diversity, open communication, and different perspectives, and special care has been taken to make this event inclusive and gender-balanced.

Non-equilibrium Quantum Materials Design

Quantum materials driven out of equilibrium by strong electric fields exhibit phenomena that challenge our physical understanding of solids and could be implemented in future device technologies. Examples include photo- and current-induced transitions to metastable hidden phases, the ultrafast optical manipulation of ferroelectricity and magnetism, light-induced superconductivity, and the creation of photon-dressed topological states. While much progress has been made in characterizing these effects, turning them into real-world functionalities requires stabilizing them at high temperature, on long time scales, and with minimal input power. These challenges are inherently of a materials nature. The focus of this workshop is to bring together experts in quantum materials synthesis (single crystals, thin films, vdW heterostructures) with experimentalists and theorists investigating non-equilibrium phenomena to spark a new generation of non-equilibrium quantum materials design – that is, to create quantum materials that are specifically designed for their out-of-equilibrium response to optical and electrical perturbations. The long-term goal is to create a feedback loop between materials synthesis, experimental characterization and theory for non-equilibrium physics, similar to the successful strategies employed in equilibrium quantum materials design.

Quantum Spinoptics

The conference aims at the interdisciplinary experiment of bringing together experts from solid state and quantum optics, in order to foster dialogue at the interface of the two communities. The goal is to plant the seed of a novel hybrid research area, where solid state systems are treated on the same footing as AMO driven-dissipative platforms, and, viceversa, where quantum optics can be reshaped by using concepts from spintronics, magnetism and the physics of correlated materials.We invite and encourage the contribution of selected speakers advancing the frontiers of any of the following fields:(i) dynamical phase transitions in driven-dissipative atomic or spin ensembles, ranging from traditional AMO platforms to spintronics and solid state devices;
(ii) quantum optics-inspired pumping schemes applied to condensed matter models;
(iii) correlated emission and dissipative engineering to build entangled states, and shape novel sub- and superradiant phenomena;
(iv) noise sensing and engineering in light-matter interfaces and NV/color centers.

Altermagnetism: Emerging Opportunities in a New Magnetic Phase

This workshop focuses on the emerging magnetic material class of altermagnets. This recently discovered magnetic phase is separate from the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases that we are used to. The new altermagnetic class shows compensated magnetic ordering and alternating spin-polarization in both the direct and momentum space, with a d-wave (or higher even-parity wave) symmetry. Altermagnets span a large range of materials from insulators to superconductors, and exhibit properties characteristic of ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, and other unique properties that neither of the two previously known classes have.

The novel properties of altermagnets have links to many fields of research, such as spintronics, ultra-fast photo-magnetism, neuromorphics, multiferroics, magnonics, topological matter, or superconductivity. The workshop brings together junior and senior scientists from diverse research fields to explore this fascinating newly discovered magnetic phase.

The exotic phases arising from the complex interplay between the electron and the elementary excitation such as phonons, magnons, etc. is one of the prominent aspects of condensed matter physics. The complex interplay often results in different competing ground states with different microscopic properties and different low energy excitations. Disrupting the system by external stimuli such as changing temperature, applying pressure, or doping with different chemical elements, one can manipulate through different phases and try to understand the microscopic multiple degrees of freedom in correlated many body systems. In addition, complex systems offer a great deal of real world applications, however, sufficient understanding and knowledge of many body interactions is first necessary on a fundamental level.
In this regard, the Elasto-Q-Mat Summer School “Interplay of multiple degrees of freedom – charge, spin and lattice” is intended to bring the state of the art expertise in the field of condensed matter physics to educate our PhD student within the SFB Transregio 288 project. Thus, our students have the opportunity to become familiar with the current research both in terms of theoretical and experimental perspective in the diverse field of many body systems.

Orbitronics: from Topological Matter to next Level Electronics

This workshop aims to boost the new field of orbitronics – a next generation device technology which utilizes the orbital current as an information carrier. The orbital current is expected to be crucial in understanding physical properties of topological matters and to interact with various orders and quasi-particle excitations in nontrivial ways, which may shed lights on unresolved puzzles in correlated matters and lead to discoveries of exotic quantum phenomena. The workshop highlights the emerging concept of the orbital current from the perspective of topology and strong correlation, which are two major pillars of contemporary condensed matter physics, and seek for a novel route to achieving orbitronic devices with different materials such as van der Waals 2D materials, topological matters, oxides, surfaces and interfaces. This would not only have significant impact on next-generation of spin-torque-based memories and devices but also open a new venue for spintronics and valleytronics. The envisioned impact of the workshop is to review status-of-the-art and to discuss challenges and future directions of orbitronics by gathering both young and renowned researchers from condensed matter physics, material science, and nanotechnology.

Spins, Orbits, Charges, and Heat in Magnets

This SPICE Young Research Leaders Group Workshop serves as a melting pot of researchers to discuss recent developments in our understanding of the interplay between magnetism and spin, charge, orbital, and heat transport. What once began with spin-polarized electric currents in ferromagnets and the giant magnetoresistance, today is an internationally overarching research field known as spintronics. The last two decades, in particular, saw the consolidation of spintronics into modern solid state research. This was possible in large parts thanks to the experimental confirmation of the spin Hall effect and its inverse counterpart that enables electrical detection of pure spin currents. By now, it is known that the electronic spin not only couples to magnetic but also electric fields and heat gradients, adding interconversion phenomena between spin, charge, orbital degrees of freedom and heat to the spintronic inventory, examples being the spin Seebeck, spin Nernst, Edelstein, and orbital Hall effects. Being inspired by both the uncovering of fundamental physics as well as the vision that spin will serve as an information carrier, the spintronics community studied a broad range of material classes, including normal, topological, and magnetic metals as well as topological and magnetic insulators. Magnets, in particular, proved to contain a wealth of surprises, exemplified by topological magnons, topological Hall effects in skyrmion crystals, anomalous Hall effects and spin splitting in antiferromagnets, and the magnetic spin Hall effect. These findings constitute the chalk with which to draw the outlines of next-generation technologies, such as antiferromagnetic and topological spintronics, (topological) magnonics, obitronics, etc.

Non-Equilibrium Emergence in Quantum Design

Design of quantum many body states which elude conventional thermodynamics, has nowadays become a reality in a number of experimental platforms operating in the far-from-equilibrium regime. This workshop merges experts from three different topical areas exploring non-equilibrium control and engineering, ranging from the microscopic to the macroscopic.
At SPICE we will gather scholars working on fundaments of many-body quantum correlations and frontiers of quantum simulation in closed and open systems, encompassing applications to quantum technologies.
The goal of the conference is foster dialogue at the interface of these different research sectors, focusing on three keynote themes: (1) present and future of quantum many body simulators and their expected impact in the NISQ (noisy intermediate-scale quantum) era; (2) state of art of quantum thermalization and scrambling from the standpoint of statistical mechanics, and its role in the development of a novel generation of quantum devices; (3) survival and control of quantum many-body correlations in strongly driven-open settings.
The structure of the workshop revolves around alternating sessions on these thematic areas, offering a kaleidoscope of three workshops entangled into one. Our invited speakers are equally selected between fundamental and application-oriented areas. We encourage young scientists from all over the world to join us, and we look forward engaging them at our dedicated poster sessions.

New Spin on Molecular Quantum Materials

Stabilizing fragile quantum states necessitates understanding and control of multiple material variables. Molecular quantum materials provide a test field for models and theory due to their high chemical variability, large compressibility and the possibility of systematic disorder tuning. This workshop fosters the interaction between theory and experiment, particularly addressing scientists previously not engaged in organic materials.
The recent years saw considerable advancements, but also a dichotomy between experiment and theory. For instance, the nature of quantum-spin-liquid and charge-dipole-liquid states in κ-phase BEDT-TTF salts remains controversial. On the other hand, anomalous transport in bad and strange metals near electronic instabilities awaits a solid theoretical description.
Those phenomena rely on a suppression of effective energy scales via frustration or competing orders, making molecular quantum materials susceptible to many sub-dominant factors such as magneto-elastic coupling, disorder and spin-orbit effects. To that end, the workshop will stimulate exchange among different fields, especially focusing on spin vs charge degrees of freedom, insulators vs metals, transport vs thermodynamic methods and non-equilibrium vs equilibrium probes.