SWITCH · Symmetry-driven Writing with Intrinsic Torques for Computing beyond Hardware limits

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence has exposed a fundamental flaw in conventional computing: the von Neumann architecture is inefficient for data-intensive brain-like tasks. A solution lies in unconventional computing architectures that integrate memory directly with processing. The key enabling component is a new class of ultra-fast, high-density, non-volatile memory. While magnetic random-access memory is a leading candidate, its progress has slowed. The incumbent switching technologies, spin-transfer torque and spin-orbit torque, are too energy-intensive, creating a critical roadblock. A transformative solution lies in a new class of materials: Non-Collinear Antiferromagnets. These materials offer a unique ""best-of-all-worlds"" combination: they retain the robust stability and ultrafast dynamics of antiferromagnets, but also possess produces large electrical signals for readout. With efficient read operation established, the next frontier is their revolutionary potential for writing information. They have already demonstrated electrical switching at orders-of-magnitude lower current densities than state-of-the-art, but the fundamental physics governing this process is a critical, unresolved puzzle.This proposal addresses the critical gaps that prevent the revolutionary potential of these materials from being realized: I will systematically investigate the novel, symmetry-driven torques responsible for ultra-efficient switching. In parallel, I will establish the fundamental principles governing generation of unconventional spin currents, optimizing it as a superior spin-source. Finally, I will explore the frontier by investigating these phenomena in the very recently predicted novel p-wave magnetic phase. By combining my expertise in nc-AFM materials with the world-leading facilities and theoretical knowledge of my hosts in Mainz, this project will establish the fundamental design rules next generation sustainable magnetic memory.""