{
  "id": 16117952,
  "title": "Shrinking iron films strengthens laser-driven demagnetization",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/shrinking-iron-films-strengthens-laser-driven-demagnetization",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-22T22:40:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-10-iron-laser-driven-demagnetization.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers from the University of Duisburg-Essen and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have discovered that thinner iron films experience stronger ultrafast demagnetization when exposed to laser pulses. This phenomenon could potentially lead to faster data storage methods in the future. The key factor behind this enhanced demagnetization is the concentration of electron spins at the interfaces of particularly thin iron layers. These spins have fewer neighboring spins to interact magnetically, making them easier to disrupt by a laser pulse. The study published in Advanced Science found that 2-nanometer-thick iron films exhibited approximately 75% stronger demagnetization than 16-nanometer-thick layers, even with the same laser intensity. This effect is not due to differences in light absorption or atomic lattice vibrations, but rather the magnetic properties of the material. While promising, practical applications would require further advancements, such as integrating suitable laser sources into electronic devices and achieving precise targeting of small areas for high storage densities.",
  "summary": "From photos and videos to documents, vast amounts of data are stored on hard drives in large data centers. These devices use tiny magnetic regions whose orientation determines the information stored. But how could data be stored even faster in the future? One possible approach involves ultrashort laser pulses, which can alter the magnetic order of materials in an extremely short time.",
  "key_points": [
    "Thinner iron films experience stronger ultrafast demagnetization under laser pulses.",
    "2-nanometer-thick iron layers show 75% greater demagnetization than 16-nanometer-thick layers.",
    "Enhanced demagnetization is due to concentrated electron spins at thin iron interfaces."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}