Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory
A graphic of a spontaneously emerging interface in a quantum material is shown. In the top and bottom layers the atoms (green dots) of the investigated material carry a magnetic moment (red arrow) that points in opposing directions. In these layers these magnetic moments are not correlated with the surrounding electrons (black dots). The center layer is akin to an electronic interface, in which the atoms do not carry magnetic moments because they are screened by the magnetic moments of the surrounding electrons (black arrows). The screening effect is highlighted by a blue screening cloud. The scattering of the electrons off the atoms is different in the magnetic and non-magnetic layers which may be exploited for novel functionalities.