Phys.org July 29, 2021
An international team of researchers (Germany, Canada, USA – Perdue University) has detected the rolling movement of a nano-acoustic wave predicted by Lord Rayleigh in 1885. They used an extremely fine nanowire that was positioned on lithium niobate, a piezoelectric material, which becomes deformed when subjected to an electrical current. With the aid of small metal electrodes, an acoustic wave can be generated on the material. The acoustic wave generates an elliptically rotating electrical field. This, in turn, forces the electrons in the nanowire onto circular paths. So far, this phenomenon was seen in light. Now they have succeeded in demonstrating that this is a universal effect, which also occurs in other types of waves such as sound waves on lithium niobate. According to the researchers the universal principle of spin-physics underlying this phenomenon will lead to important technological advances…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Spin-momentum locking of a Rayleigh SAW. Credit: Science Advances 28 Jul 2021:Â Vol. 7, no. 31, eabf7414Â