Scientists found a new way to steer magnetic waves

A new step toward controlling information carriers in quantum technology. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory have discovered a way to control the handedness of magnons, tiny magnetic waves that can carry information through materials. The team changed a material's magnetic state using an external magnetic field, which allowed them to switch magnon behavior. This matters because the finding has potential applications in quantum information and quantum computing technologies. Work at this stage is foundational: it shows how magnetic properties can be tuned for future devices, which is where many engineering and research roles will be shaped over the coming years. The results are published in Physical Review Letters.