News

Spin textures: Magnetism meets Plasmonics

Spin textures in solids originate from the complex interaction between electrons and atoms. In particular, the collective behavior of electrons is often key to emergent physical properties. For example, the spins of localized as well as itinerant electrons can interact to realize statically (meta-) stable magnetic spin textures, including spin-spirals, vortices, skyrmions, multi-q structures, i.e., magnetic arrangements characterized by multiple wave vectors in their magnetic order parameter.
Alternatively, electrons can be excited collectively by electromagnetic waves such that the electrons oscillate to realize plasmons. Being highly endowed with tunability, the field of plasmonics, has rapidly emulated several interesting spin structures.
In both fields, skyrmions and topological excitations play a crucial role spurred by the idea of robust states of matter for applications including storage and information technology. While there are a lot of similarities between magnetic and electromagnetic spin textures there are also key differences in their physics. For example, each field has its individual challenges to realize tailored spin textures: While a limitation in magnetism is that certain competing interactions are required to realize spin structures, in plasmonics certain field components are prohibited hindering the formation of arbitrary spin structures. External stimuli are interesting for both research fields to manipulate the unique magnetic and electronic properties of the excitations.
This workshop aims to bring together experts from both magnetism and plasmonics to foster the discovery of new spin textures.

Young Research Leaders Group Workshop: Correlation and Topology in magnetic materials

The mathematical concept of “topology”, developed in the past century, has become the real game changer in condensed matter physics. The particular coupling of the electronic wavefunctions with the spin configuration define the material topology, from which unique electronic properties arise. Skyrmions, anomalous spin Hall effect or topological superconductivity are some examples of the fascinating phenomena and applications that this new concept enables.
Besides the potential technological transfer, topology also paves the way for quantum states, a phenomenal playground for investigating fundamental interactions of correlated electrons under topological protection. On top of these correlated materials, topological superconductivity, essential to the realization of quantum computing, is one of the most “hot research lines”, expected to generate the biggest revolution in the field.
By gathering young researchers from both topology and correlation topics, we aim to get a broad perspective of one of the hottest topics in condensed matter physics. The workshop will count on researchers from both experimental and theoretical fields, aiming to promote collaborations across different perspectives.

Workshop-School on Quantum Spinoptics

This joint workshop and school aims to bring together students and researchers in the separate fields of solid-state physics and quantum optics, with the goal of fostering an exchange of ideas and knowledge that might spawn a new exciting field of “Quantum Spinoptics.” The common ground for this inter-disciplinary field is the increasingly recognized importance to develop techniques to controllably couple qubits (either atoms or solid-state spins) to interesting quantum “baths” (photons or magnetic materials). Such control is expected to open up diverse scientific and technological opportunities, such as:
- Long-distance coupling and entanglement of qubits through coherent interactions or correlated dissipation
- State protection through correlated dissipation (e.g., subradiance) and associated applications
- Quantum sensing and metrology, and novel probes of condensed matter systems
- Realization of novel classes of out-of-equilibrium dynamics and phases
While these ideas are already starting to be explored separately within solid-state physics and quantum optics, we envision that scientific progress and opportunities will significantly accelerate with the cross-fertilization of ideas. The joint workshop-school format is intended to provide a venue equally devoted to the dissemination of latest research developments, discussion of scientific ideas, and providing a pedagogical background to establish a common “scientific language” for this new field. To that end, the event will feature two extended introductory lectures, featuring scientific and pedagogical leaders within the fields of solid-state physics and quantum optics. We thus especially encourage young scholars to attend and to also contribute in a dedicated poster session.

Quantum Matter for Quantum Technologies

Quantum materials hold the key to unlocking the next frontier of quantum advancements, and at the forefront of this transformation are innovative Josephson junction concepts designed to harness the inherent properties of these quantum materials. This includes pioneering approaches such as integrating Josephson junctions into 2D materials, exploring the intriguing realm of twisted bilayers, devising semiconductor-based superconducting qubits, understanding novel phenomena in chiral and nodal superconductors, just to name a few. Within this diverse landscape, these developments bring forth a wealth of advanced functionalities, including the ability to fine-tune quantum systems through electric gate control, compatibility with magnetic fields, and the exploration of unconventional Josephson potentials.

In this workshop, our vision is to nurture collaborative synergy among diverse scientific communities that have been somewhat disconnected. This collaborative effort aims to foster innovation and deepen our comprehension of various facets leading to novel qubit concepts based on exotic Josephson potentials, novel properties of Josephson quantum matter and the exploration of topological effects. Additionally, we aspire to delve into recent proposals that revolve around unconventional superconductivity. Our shared goal is to establish a new technological paradigm within the realm of quantum technologies, pushing the boundaries of what is currently achievable with standard superconducting circuits and unlocking the full potential of quantum materials and Josephson junctions.

Hybrid Correlated States and Dynamics in Quantum Materials

Correlated states of electrons give rise to quantum matter, such as ordered magnets, spin liquids, superconductors, and topological materials. In lower dimensions, correlations assume a still pronounced importance. The exciting phenomena hosted and technological applications promised by these states of matter have further inspired the scientific community to engineer hybrids where different ingredients for correlations are provided by separate materials coupled together. Thus, such low-dimensional hybrid nanostructures have enabled engineering novel states of matter with intriguing physics, often not admitted by any single platform.

The workshop shall bring together experts and young researchers from three different communities: (i) Magnetism and Spintronics, (ii) Superconductivity and Strongly Correlated Electrons, and (iii) Low-dimensional nanostructures. The purview includes coherent and incoherent magnetization dynamics in conjunction with the various spintronics effects that allow its manipulation and detection. A key topic will be the recently discovered nonreciprocal effects in magnets e.g., chiral magnons, as well as superconductors, e.g., the superconducting diode effect.

Recent discoveries regarding two-dimensional materials, multi-orbital superconductivity, Ising superconductors, topological superconductivity and quantum sensors coupled to magnets will also be central to the workshop portfolio. Employing fluctuations of currents (e.g, flow of spin or vortices) to probe the quantum nature of transport will form an exciting topic of discussion across communities. Finally, the case of spin fluctuations mediated superconductivity, that is believed to underlie a wide range of unconventional superconductors can best be discussed with the three communities present at the workshop.

Nanomagnetism in 3D

The scientific and technological exploration of three-dimensional magnetic nanostructures is an emerging research field with exciting novel physical phenomena, originating from the increased complexity in spin textures, topology, and frustration in three dimensions. Tailored three-dimensional nanomagnetic structures, including in artificial spin ice systems or magnonics will enable novel applications in magnetic sensor and information processing technologies with improved energy efficiency, processing speed, functionalities, and miniaturization of future spintronic devices. Another approach to explore and harness the full three-dimensional space is to use curvature as a design parameter, where the local curvature impacts physical properties across multiple length scales, ranging from the macroscopic to the nanoscale at interfaces and inhomogeneities in materials with structural, chemical, electronic, and magnetic short-range order.

In quantum materials, where correlations, entanglement, and topology dominate, the local curvature opens the path to novel phenomena that have recently emerged and could have a dramatic impact on future fundamental and applied studies of materials. Particularly, magnetic systems hosting non-collinear and topological states and 3D magnetic nanostructures strongly benefit from treating curvature as a new design parameter to explore prospective applications in the magnetic field and stress sensing, micro-robotics, and information processing and storage.
Exploring 3d nanomagnetism requires advances in modelling/theory, synthesis/fabrication, and state-of-the-art nanoscale characterization techniques to understand, realize and control the properties, behavior, and functionalities of these novel magnetic nanostructures.

For videos of the talks and further information, please visit the workshop home page.

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.

For videos of the talks and further information, please visit the workshop home page.

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.

For videos of the talks and further information, please visit the workshop home page.

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.

For videos of the talks and further information, please visit the workshop home page.

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.

For videos of the talks and further information, please visit the workshop home page.