Overview

• Researchers at the University of Konstanz confirmed that direct laser pulses can coherently excite high-frequency magnon pairs in naturally grown hematite crystals at room temperature to alter magnetic properties without generating heat.
• The process drives the material’s highest-frequency magnetic resonances, a result not predicted by existing theoretical models.
• Peer-reviewed experiments published in Science Advances in June 2025 validate the non-thermal technique under standard laboratory conditions.
• By relying on abundant iron oxide and avoiding cryogenic cooling or rare-earth elements, the method offers a scalable route for future devices.
• Ongoing studies aim to integrate the approach into prototype terahertz data storage systems and to demonstrate light-induced Bose-Einstein condensation of magnons without extensive cooling.