US team develops magnetic crystals that behave like graphene in 2D

Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have demonstrated that magnetic spin waves, or magnons, in engineered 2D magnetic materials can mimic the behavior of electrons in graphene. By creating a magnonic crystal—a thin magnetic film patterned with holes arranged in a hexagonal lattice—the researchers found that spin waves in this structure follow the same mathematical equations that govern electron motion in graphene. This surprising analogy revealed nine distinct energy bands for spin waves, some resembling graphene’s massless electron waves, while others showed localized states and topological effects associated with robust wave transport. The research, led by PhD student Bobby Kaman and professor Axel Hoffmann, bridges two previously unrelated physics areas: 2D electronics and 2D magnetism. The findings not only deepen understanding of magnonic crystals but also suggest practical applications, particularly in microwave technologies for wireless and cellular networks. For example, the magnonic system could enable miniaturization of microwave circulators—devices that direct