Scientists break the link between a quantum material's spin and orbital states

Until now, electron spins and orbitals were thought to go hand in hand in a class of materials that's the cornerstone of modern information technology; you couldn't quickly change one without changing the other. But a new study shows that a pulse of laser light can dramatically change the spin state of one important class of materials while leaving its orbital state intact.

from Top Technology News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Xe3Jhh