Physicists at the University of Vienna have identified magnons with lifetimes up to 100 times longer than previously observed. Magnons are tiny magnetic waves that travel through solid materials, much like ripples moving across a pond.

Because their wavelengths can be compressed to nanometer scales, magnon-based circuits could potentially be integrated into extremely compact chips. Unlike photons, which travel through space or optical fibers, magnons exist within magnetic solids and can interact naturally with other quasiparticles such as phonons and photons. These unique properties make them strong candidates for future hybrid quantum technologies, precision sensing, and next-generation quantum computing systems.

Figure 1. Long-Lived Magnetic Excitations Unlock Quantum Devices

A major challenge for magnon-based quantum technology has been the particles’ extremely short lifetimes, which previously limited their ability to store and transmit quantum information for more than a few hundred nanoseconds. Figure 1 shows Long-Lived Magnetic Excitations Unlock Quantum Devices.

Now, a team led by Wiener has achieved a significant breakthrough by measuring magnon lifetimes of up to 18 microseconds—nearly 100 times longer than earlier records. This dramatic improvement could make magnons practical carriers of quantum information, bringing researchers closer to developing ultra-compact quantum computers that could fit on a chip as small as a 1-cent coin. The results, published in the journal Science Advances, suggest magnons may one day rival the superconducting qubits used in today’s most advanced quantum processors.

A major challenge for magnon-based quantum technology has been the particles’ extremely short lifetimes, which previously limited their ability to store and transmit quantum information for more than a few hundred nanoseconds.

Now, a team led by Wiener has achieved a significant breakthrough by measuring magnon lifetimes of up to 18 microseconds—nearly 100 times longer than earlier records. This dramatic improvement could make magnons practical carriers of quantum information, bringing researchers closer to developing ultra-compact quantum computers that could fit on a chip as small as a 1-cent coin. The results, published in the journal Science Advances, suggest magnons may one day rival the superconducting qubits used in today’s most advanced quantum processors.

Cooling Crystals Exposed a Fundamental Limit

Researchers achieved the breakthrough by combining two key approaches. First, they generated short-wavelength magnons, which are far less sensitive to imperfections on a crystal’s surface—a major factor that had limited magnon lifetimes in earlier experiments.

They then placed ultra-pure spheres of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) inside a cryostat and cooled them to just 30 millikelvin, only slightly above absolute zero. At these extreme temperatures, the thermal disturbances that normally destroy magnons are largely eliminated. The experiments revealed that magnon lifetimes are not constrained by a fundamental physical limit but by tiny impurities within the crystal itself. By testing samples with varying purity levels, the team found that cleaner materials consistently produced longer-lived magnons, with even the least pure sample surpassing previous records. The results suggest that future advances may come primarily from improving material quality rather than discovering new physics.

What the Breakthrough Means for Quantum Technology

With lifetimes extending to 18 microseconds, magnons could evolve from fragile quantum signals into reliable carriers and storage units for quantum information [1]. Their improved stability may enable them to link large numbers of qubits through a common channel, potentially providing the quantum bus needed to build scalable quantum computers.

Since magnons exist within solid materials and naturally interact with a variety of quantum systems, they could also serve as versatile intermediaries in hybrid quantum devices, helping different quantum technologies exchange information and work together more effectively.

References:

1. https://scitechdaily.com/magnon-breakthrough-could-shrink-quantum-computers-to-the-size-of-a-penny/

Cite this article:

Janani R (2026), New Magnon Breakthrough May Drastically Reduce Quantum Computer Size, AnaTechMaz, pp.515