US scientists unlock hidden magnetism in ultrathin material for faster memory tech

A team of U.S. researchers has uncovered evidence of a newly proposed form of magnetism in an ultrathin quantum material that could pave the way for smaller, faster computer RAM and more efficient spintronic devices. The study was carried out by scientists at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and their colleagues from the University of Minnesota and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). They discovered that ultrathin ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) exhibits magnetic behavior when subjected to lattice strain. Meanwhile, its bulk form has long been considered nonmagnetic. The discovery suggests that simply reducing the material to a film just a few atomic layers thick fundamentally changes its electronic properties. Ming Yi, PhD, associate professor of physics and astronomy and a study author, explained that ruthenium dioxide was among the first materials proposed as an altermagnetic candidate. “Our research shows that its ultrathin form, on the other hand, may be the key in making it magnetic,” Yi said. A quantum breakthrough Ruthenium dioxide is a quantum material that is widely used as an electrocatalyst in industrial processes. In late 2025, scientists from Japan proposed that ultrathin RuO2 films could enable faster, denser and more reliable memory chips. The latest study provides evidence supporting that idea by showcasing that when reduced to just a few atomic layers and subjected to lattice strain, RuO2 exhibits altermagnetic behavior. Altermagnetism is a newly proposed type of magnetism that combines properties of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. To test the material, the research team mapped its spin texture. It represents the arrangement of electron spins that reveals a material’s magnetic state. They then performed the measurements using spin-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, an advanced method that can probe electronic structures at the quantum level. Yichen Zhang, the paper’s first author, said that analysis of the experimental data alongside theoretical calculations showed that ruthenium dioxide displayed spin textures indicative of unconventional magnetism. “This suggests that bulk and ultrathin ruthenium dioxide, under the right conditions, may have distinctly different magnetic properties,” Zhang explained. New possibilities The magnetic state appeared only after the team introduced lattice strain, which is a controlled distortion of the crystal structure. Without this strain, the electron spins behaved similarly to those in bulk RuO2 and demonstrated no evidence of altermagnetism. “The strain-dependent nature suggests that we may be able to use lattice strain as a tuning knob to induce or control altermagnetism,” Zhang noted. “This could be extremely useful when thinking about next-generation spintronics and RAM architectures.” The study also provides more insight into the complexity of understanding and describing quantum materials. Yi said the discovery underscores the importance of precise material preparation and advanced measurement techniques. Interpreting the spin-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy data required careful analysis. “Through this, we were able to determine not only the magnetic state symmetries but a potential way to manipulate it in next-generation quantum materials,” Yi concluded in a statement. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail, Mirror, Daily Star, Yahoo, NationalWorld, Newsweek, Press Gazette and others. She covers stories on batteries, wind energy, sustainable shipping and new discoveries. When she's not chasing the next big science story, she's traveling, exploring new cultures, or enjoying good food with even better wine.