<ul><li>Researchers in Germany have achieved precise control over the generation of ultrafast changes in magnetic fields called 'magnetic steps', using ultrashort laser pulses and superconducting discs.</li><li>Magnetic steps rise to peak intensity in just a few picoseconds and provide fundamental insights into non-equilibrium properties of magnetic materials.</li><li>The team developed a technique involving the disruption of supercurrents in a superconductor to create magnetic steps and demonstrated their ability to control the magnetization of a ferrimagnet.</li><li>Further improvements could lead to applications such as phase transition control and complete switching of magnetic order parameters.</li></ul>

Superconducting device delivers ultrafast changes in magnetic field

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