"Ultrafast Optical Control of Magnetic Fields: Trillionths of a Second Switching"
Physicists have discovered that tiny graphene sheets can become electromagnets under infrared radiation. By using circularly polarized terahertz radiation, the researchers were able to excite the electrons in the graphene sheets, causing them to move in a circular motion and generate magnetic fields. These graphene disks can act as strong permanent magnets that can be switched on or off within picoseconds. The researchers believe that this discovery could have potential applications in influencing other materials and adjusting the color of light in quantum dots, as well as changing the temperature of magnetocaloric materials.