Scientists discover new property in rare-earth metal used in strategic and industrial sectors

Scientists have discovered a new kind of magnetism in a rare-earth compound that can be used in quantum and spintronic technologies. It envisions a new class of materials that can be tuned to design faster and more energy-efficient magnetic and quantum devices for a vast range of strategic and industrial applications.

Rare-earth materials play a crucial role in modern technology, powering everything from electric vehicles and smartphones to wind turbines and defence systems. Among these, neodymium-based permanent magnets are indispensable due to their strong magnetic performance. Neodymium is a silver-white, malleable and highly reactive metal used for strong magnets, high precision lasers, anti-reflective glass and alloys.

However, until now, the magnetism in such materials was largely understood as being driven by the electron’s spin, the intrinsic property responsible for conventional ferromagnetism.

A study led by Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), has for the first time, demonstrated that single-crystalline grown thin films of neodymium nitride exhibit ferro-magnetism arising from the orbital angular momentum of electrons, marking a fundamental departure from conventional magnetic behaviour.

The concept could pave the way for the design and development of next-generation information and memory technologies, according to information shared by the Ministry of Science and Technology on Tuesday.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology as well as from Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Germany, and ALBA Synchrotron, Spain, also formed part of the project.

This landmark finding, published recently in ACS Nano, a peer reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, opens new possibilities in the emerging field of “orbitronics”, which aims to harness the orbital motion of electrons for future quantum and spintronic technologies.

The team led by Prof Bivas Saha employed advanced thin-film growth and characterisation techniques. This was complemented by electronic structure analysis, to reveal how crystal symmetry, electronic hybridisation and rare-earth orbital states together stabilise this unique orbital-driven magnetism.

“This discovery represents a paradigm shift in our understanding of magnetism,” said Prof Saha. “By controlling the orbital degrees of freedom, we can envision a new class of materials where both spin and orbital moments can be tuned to design faster, more energy-efficient magnetic and quantum devices,” he added.

The discovery is particularly timely as global competition over rare-earth materials intensifies, according to the Ministry. Neodymium, a key component in high-performance magnets, is among the most strategic materials in the clean-energy and defence sectors. India, with nearly 8 per cent of the world’s rare-earth reserves, is well positioned to contribute to this critical area of materials innovation, the Ministry said.