Scientists have uncovered a new type of magnetism that differs from our current understanding. Magnetism arises from the alignment of electrons, which act like miniature bar magnets. The scientists tilted two semiconductor layers to create a "moire material" for testing quantum effects. They filled the lattice with electrons steadily, and it turned ferromagnetic abruptly upon all gaps are filled. This confirms a theoretical prediction made by Nagaoka and Thouless in the 1960s. With all the lattice filled, the overflowing electrons on top behave like a sliding game for children. The puzzle has a sliding hole, forming different combinations with each shuffle, but if all point in the same direction, no matter how you shuffle, they looks almost the same. The electrons act in the same way, staying in the lowest energy state, and aligning to become ferromagnetic. This discovery paves the way for the development of new quantum devices.
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