High Magnetic Field as a Tool for Discovery in Condensed Matter Physics

High magnetic fields hold the key to uncovering several exotic quantum phenomena arising at low temperatures that are of interest in condensed matter physics. Recently, the techniques for generating high magnetic fields and performing high field-based measurements has advanced exponentially. The highest generated magnetic field has reached 1000 T, while measurements of material properties can now be performed at fields as high as 60 T.

In view of this, the Journal of the Physical Society of Japan has published eight papers under a Special Topic highlighting modern physics discoveries enabled by high magnetic fields.

A paper by Sakai describes materials with alternating layers of Dirac electrons and magnetic blocking that could lead to guidelines for extending Dirac electron physics beyond graphene for future applications in electronics.

Another study by Kanazawa et al. reviews experimental evidences of topological phase transitions and the topologically-protected magnetic order in high magnetic fields.

Another article by Yoshida reviews frustrated Kagome antiferromagnets and their magnetization plateaus under high magnetic fields.

A study by Kohama provides a state-of-the-art calorimetry system for exploring low-dimensional and frustrated quantum magnets at high fields.

Strongly correlated electronic materials are explored in another study by Jaime that provides a review of spin lattice coupling in magnetorestricted electronic materials.

The Rice Advanced Magnet with Broadband Optics (RAMBO) has enabled optical probing under high magnetic fields. In a review, Tay et al. explores studies that used RAMBO to reveal the unique excitations of excitons, plasmons, magnons, and phonons.

In another study, Narumi et al. provides two methods, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and proximity detector oscillator, for exploring magnetization in magnetic materials at high field conditions.

Finally, Matsuda et al. summarizes a metal-insulator transition observed in doped and pure vanadium oxide at 1000 T along with promising future research directions.

Overall, high magnetic fields, as suggested by this special topic, are expected to contribute to cutting-edge research in a wide range of topics.