Light changes a magnet’s polarity

30 January 2026 / Research

Light changes a magnet’s polarity

The researchers used a laser pulse (blue) to change the polarity of a ferromagnetic state in a special material consisting of twisted atomic layers (red). (Illustration: Enrique Sahagún, Scixel / University of Basel, Department of Physics)

A team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Tomasz Smoleński at the University of Basel and Prof. Dr. Ataç Imamoğlu at the ETH in Zurich have succeeded in changing the polarity of a special ferromagnet using a laser beam. In the future, this method could be used to create adaptable electronic circuits with light.