Advanced Light Source

Researchers used synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy (SINS) at the ALS to detect the molecular behaviors of ionic liquids—which serve as high performance electrolytes in energy storage devices—under varying charge bias conditions. Their insights define a direction for targeted design of ionic liquid-based electrolytes with optimized properties for energy storage applications. Read the full highlight: https://als.lbl.gov/infrared-nanospectroscopy-reveals-behaviors-of-ionic-liquids/

📷 Overview of the experimental setup for studying the behavior of ionic liquids at electrode surfaces in energy storage devices. Cross-sectional, nanoscale view of an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip probing the system for SINS measurement, revealing changes in the structure and behavior of individual ions. (Credit: Zixuan Li/Berkeley Lab)

Altermagnets are an emerging class of magnetic materials that offer the potential for energy-efficient, high-density memory chips. Researchers at Penn State, UC Santa Barbara, and the ALS demonstrated that characteristic altermagnetic band splitting in chromium antimonide is evident in thin films relevant for real-world device application. Read more: https://als.lbl.gov/altermagnetism-all-the-way-down/

📷 Previously, altermagnetism had only been confirmed in bulk crystals and “thick” bulk-like films. In this work, researchers demonstrate that altermagnetism persists in CrSb thin films down to 10 nm, the thickness range relevant for spintronics. Future work will explore CrSb films down to the 2D limit, where quantum confinement opens pathways to new device functionalities beyond conventional spintronics. (Credit: Sandra Santhosh/Pennsylvania State University)