New Helmholtz Young Investigator Group at HZB

Dr. Felix Büttner will establish a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group (YIG) on topological solitons at the HZB beginning in March 2020. Topological solitons occur in magnetic quantum materials and can contribute to extremely energy-efficient switching processes. Büttner wants to develop a new imaging technique at BESSY II to study these quasi-particles.

Dr. Felix Büttner has received funding from the Helmholtz Association following a tough selection process. He will now build up his own research group, a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group (YIG).

Until now, he was doing research as a postdoc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, USA.  Büttner has already distinguished himself with numerous publications in the field of magnetic quantum materials.

At the HZB, he wants to develop a new high-resolution technique at the BESSY II synchrotron source that will enable the imaging of complex magnetic structures under realistic conditions at room temperature.

He will focus on antiferromagnetic topological solitons that occur in certain materials and are considered important candidates for extremely energy-efficient data storage. “There has been little progress in antiferromagnetic soliton research so far due to a lack of high-resolution imaging techniques that can detect antiferromagnetic topological solitons in actual devices”, Büttner explains and adds: “The HZB offers high-tech facilities and expertise in all these areas, making it the perfect place for this ambitious project.”