After being theorized for decades, a material known as USb2 — a uranium and antimony compound—was found to be magnetic despite its singlet-based properties. Its magnetism has also been experimentally proven to exist in reasonable temperatures compared to the extremely cold temperatures it was once tested in. What’s significant about this? This new magnetic material may change the game in information storage for computers based on its ability to transition from magnetized to not in seconds. Weird. What Is Singlet-based Magnetism? To understand why this magnet is “weird,” you need to understand singlet-based magnetism. In magnetic materials, such as fridge magnets, particles and electrons within the material have “magnetic moments.” which are moments showcasing magnetic strength and orientation of an object’s magnetic field. In a magnetic object, these magnetic moments will align in one direction, creating a magnetic field. When a material’s electrons do not combine to form magnetic moments, however, magnetic fields will not combine and align to form a singlet state. Basically, if the electrons inside material don’t point their magnetic fields in the same direction, they don’t generate magnetism. Researchers recently found that although USb2 is in a singlet state, magnetism is possible under the correct conditions. How is Magnetism Possible in USb2? In USb2, the electrons seem to work together to form quantum-mechanical objects called “spin excitons.” Physicists have long suspected that spin excitons might cluster together (singlet-based magnetism), but this was previously only proven in very short bursts in ultracold experimental settings. Now, they’ve shown this can exist outside of the supercool environment. The excitons are created from interactions in electrons, and when they form, a magnetic field occurs. Researchers have found that the compound actually does have tiny packets of energy that aren’t quite particles but do have magnetic moments. Under the right temperature, these packets can form clumps to create magnetic fields. Previously, this temperature was extremely cold, which could only be produced in advanced experimental settings. Andrew Wray at NYU found that the compounds became magnetic at about -70 degrees C, which is hundreds of degrees warmers than the magnets made in previous experiments. In fact, it was found that the material reached peak magnetism (and did so suddenly) as the temperature was decreased. What Does This Mean? With the discovery of USb2, we now know a type of magnet exists that can switch between magnetized and unmagnetized very easily due to the temporary nature of spin excitons. However, we also know when clustered together, the spin excitons can be stable and quick moving. This type of discovery could be good for digital data storage, specifically in products where you want something with a big effect but doesn’t cost you much energy to achieve, allowing new information to be written easily. Computers that rely on magnets that can switch back and forth to store information can benefit from this new type of magnet. Although this is a big deal, don’t get too excited. The compound is not ready to be used yet, as it’s made out of radioactive uranium, but this discovery is the first step to achieving “singlet-based” magnetism in other materials!   The Fun Never Stops With APEX Magnets If this news got you in a magnetic mood, continue the fun by watching these 4 mesmerizing magnet videos. To get these new discoveries (and a quick explanation of them) sign up for our newsletter to get this in your inbox every month -- there are surprise coupons for our subscribers as well!