Hybrid magnetoelastic wave devices with van der Waals materials for information and communication technologies

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Nicola Poccia, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 572638824

Over the past 15 years, interest has surged in the coupling between spin waves (magnons) and surface acoustic waves (phonons). This has led to key advances, including phonon-driven magnetic resonance, mechanically generated spin currents, and nonreciprocal absorption, opening paths toward magnetoelastic isolators and diodes. A particularly exciting direction is achieving strong coupling, where magnons and phonons form hybrid magnetoelastic waves that combine magnetic information processing with the long coherence and propagation lengths of acoustic waves. These hybrids offer unique advantages such as efficient transduction and compact device integration. This project aims to demonstrate hybrid magnetoelastic wave devices using magnetic van der Waals materials, which, unlike conventional polycrystalline metallic magnets, provide high crystalline quality, elasticity, and a large surface-to-volume ratio ideal for maximizing magnon-phonon coupling. The success of this project has the potential of report various first worldwide demonstrations with transcendent repercussions to a new generation of information and technology devices.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Japan
• Partner Organisation: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Masashi Shiraishi, Ph.D.