A team of researchers from the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo, alongside colleagues from RIKEN and other institutions, has made significant strides in understanding the influence of extreme magnetic fields on the crystal structure of solid oxygen. Their findings, published on November 8, 2025, in the journal Physical Review Letters, indicate that applying magnetic fields exceeding 100 tesla can lead to remarkable physical changes in materials.
Under these intense magnetic conditions, materials exhibit unique behaviors, including a phenomenon called magnetostriction, where the crystal structure of a material deforms due to magnetic stress. The researchers successfully generated magnetic fields of approximately 110 T for brief moments, allowing them to observe how solid oxygen atoms rearranged in response to such extreme conditions.
To conduct their experiments, the team utilized a portable magnetic field generator, named PINK-02, which they developed specifically for this research. This device enabled the creation of a high magnetic field for only a few microseconds, a crucial requirement due to the inherent challenges in sustaining such intense fields. The researchers then employed advanced laser technology to fire ultrafast X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) pulses at the solid oxygen crystals during the magnetic pulse.
In these experiments, the team was able to capture precise snapshots of the positions of the oxygen atoms as they experienced the magnetic field. According to Akihiko Ikeda, the first author of the study, the novelty of their work lies in the combination of the portable generator with the XFEL, a synergy that has opened new avenues for research in this field.
The results revealed that the crystal structure of solid oxygen underwent significant magnetostriction, stretching by nearly 1% when exposed to the applied magnetic field. The researchers linked this deformation to competing interactions between spins and lattice forces under such extreme conditions, suggesting that spins play a critical role in determining the stability of the crystal structure.
Ikeda emphasized the implications of their findings, stating, “Our research demonstrates that spins can affect the stability of a material’s crystal structure, as observed in solid oxygen.” The team plans to extend their work by exploring the θ phase of solid oxygen, aiming to use magnetic fields up to 130 T to further investigate structural changes in various materials.
The innovative methods developed in this study may pave the way for future research in condensed matter physics, offering new insights into how materials behave under extreme conditions. Their work not only advances scientific understanding but also sets the stage for potential applications in various technological fields.
This research represents a significant milestone in the exploration of ultrahigh magnetic fields and their effects on matter, underscoring the dynamic relationship between spins and crystal structures. Through their continued efforts, the researchers hope to unlock further mysteries of materials science and expand our knowledge of the physical universe.
