Magnon spectroscopy in the electron microscope

Demie Kepaptsoglou (), José Ángel Castellanos-Reyes, Adam Kerrigan, Júlio Alves do Nascimento, Paul M. Zeiger, Khalil El Hajraoui, Juan Carlos Idrobo, Budhika G. Mendis, Anders Bergman, Vlado K. Lazarov, Ján Rusz () and Quentin M. Ramasse ()
Additional contact information
Demie Kepaptsoglou: Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus
José Ángel Castellanos-Reyes: Uppsala University
Adam Kerrigan: University of York
Júlio Alves do Nascimento: University of York
Paul M. Zeiger: Uppsala University
Khalil El Hajraoui: Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus
Juan Carlos Idrobo: University of Washington
Budhika G. Mendis: Durham University
Anders Bergman: Uppsala University
Vlado K. Lazarov: University of York
Ján Rusz: Uppsala University
Quentin M. Ramasse: Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus

Nature, 2025, vol. 644, issue 8075, 83-88

Abstract: Abstract The miniaturization of transistors is approaching its limits owing to challenges in heat management and information transfer speed1. To overcome these obstacles, emerging technologies such as spintronics2 are being developed, which make use of the electron’s spin as well as its charge. Local phenomena at interfaces or structural defects will greatly influence the efficiency of spin-based devices, making the ability to study spin-wave propagation at the nanoscale and atomic scale a key challenge3,4. The development of high-spatial-resolution tools to investigate spin waves, also called magnons, at relevant length scales is thus essential to understand how their properties are affected by local features. Here we detect bulk THz magnons at the nanoscale using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). By using high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy with hybrid-pixel electron detectors, we overcome the challenges posed by weak signals to map THz magnon excitations in a thin NiO nanocrystal. Advanced inelastic electron scattering simulations corroborate our findings. These results open new avenues for detecting magnons and exploring their dispersions and their modifications arising from nanoscale structural or chemical defects. This marks a milestone in magnonics and presents exciting opportunities for the development of spintronic devices.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09318-y

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