Rice physicists’ new lab focused on emergent magnetic materials, funded by Department of Energy

(Press-News.org) Four physicists from Rice University have received a $4.4 million grant over three years from the U.S. Department of Energy to establish the Rice Laboratory for Emergent Magnetic Materials (RLEMM). This new research center will investigate the fundamental interactions of magnetism and its role in next-generation technologies. 

The award will support collaborative research led by principal investigator Pengcheng Dai along with co-investigators Ming Yi, Emilia Morosan and Qimiao Si. Their focus is on emergent phases of matter such as unconventional superconductivity, quantum magnetism and topology that hold potential for technological advancements in areas ranging from quantum computing to energy systems.

“We are bringing together complementary expertise to tackle some of the most significant questions in modern condensed matter physics,” said Dai, the Sam and Helen Worden Professor of Physics and Astronomy. “This collaboration will enable us to explore magnetism in ways that no single laboratory could achieve on its own.”

Creating a collaborative hub 

RLEMM is designed to integrate various methods, including guided materials synthesis, thermodynamic and transport characterization, neutron scattering, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and theoretical modeling. By combining these techniques, the team aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of how magnetism interacts with lattice structures, electronic states and orbital degrees of freedom.

Neutron scattering serves as a powerful tool for measuring magnetic order and spin dynamics. However, since it provides information related only to momentum transfer, the researchers emphasize that pairing it with additional probes like angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy is crucial for understanding how magnetism couples with electronic topology in momentum space.

“New tools and tightly knit collaborations are essential for uncovering the hidden properties of quantum materials,” said Yi, associate professor of physics and astronomy. “By aligning our approaches with complementary techniques, we can reveal connections that were previously inaccessible.”

Exploring new frontiers in magnetism 

The research will focus on three main areas: fractionalized quasiparticles in quantum magnetism, unconventional superconductivity that arises from flat electronic bands and altermagnetism, a newly confirmed form of magnetic order. These studies could lead to breakthroughs in designing materials with predictable and potentially transformative properties.

Morosan, the William M. Rice Trustee Professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Rice Center for Quantum Materials, is an expert in material synthesis and discovery. She emphasized that the ability to discover and test new compounds’ properties is central to the project’s success. 

“By designing and tailoring new compounds, we can establish a foundation for experiments that push scientific boundaries into unexplored material spaces and unveil emergent phenomena,” Morosan said.

The scientists say that uncovering these properties will enhance fundamental science and provide pathways toward applications in quantum devices, data storage and more. 

Training and outreach

RLEMM will also serve as a training ground for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers while reaching out to a global audience through a series of frontier condensed matter physics seminars and lectures available online and on YouTube.

The goal is to foster discussion and accelerate progress in understanding quantum materials.

“The beauty of this initiative is that it unites theory and experiment in a truly integrated way,” said Si, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of Rice’s Extreme Quantum Materials Alliance. “It will put my theory group in the enviable position of tackling new problems emerging directly from the experimental team’s labs right here at Rice.”

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