Electronic pathways may enhance collective atomic vibrations' magnetism

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-electronic-pathways-atomic-vibrations-magnetism.html

"phonons govern thermal conductivity and carrier properties... crystalline topological insulator made of lead telluride with enough added tin to enable band inversion which are insulating in bulk but have conducting electronic surface states, making chiral phonons' magnetic moment 2 orders magnitude larger... goal to enhance thermal conductivity... communications, clean energy and aerospace"

Related: Polaritons open up a new lane on the semiconductor highway
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/News/2023/polaritons-open-up-a-new-lane-on-the-semiconductor-highway