Physicist Giacomo Sala of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI has secured approximately €2.3 million—equal to about CHF 2.2 million—from the European Research Council to fund the Q-GEOMSPIN project, according to institute announcements. The five-year grant enables experimental research uniting spintronics and quantum geometry to improve data storage efficiency, following Switzerland’s full association with EU research programs at the end of 2025.
Bridging Spintronics and Quantum Geometry at PSI
The European Research Council funding directly supports Sala’s investigation into how quantum geometry influences spintronic effects. According to Sala, of the PSI Center for Neutron and Muon Science, no one has linked these two distinct physics fields experimentally prior to this project. The research builds on Sala’s doctoral work in spintronics at ETH Zurich and his postdoctoral research in quantum geometry at the University of Geneva.
Did you know? Quantum geometry can introduce a force-like element within materials that acts much like gravity, curving momentum space and deflecting electrons as they travel through a solid.
How the Quantum Metric Affects Electron Spin
Theoretical physics suggests that a subfield of quantum geometry known as the quantum metric can predict, understand, and control specific spintronic phenomena, according to project documentation. Just as mass curves spacetime in gravitational theory, the quantum metric acts as an intrinsic property that alters electron paths. By linking this geometric property directly to electron spin, researchers aim to establish a new control mechanism for spintronic devices that does not rely exclusively on traditional magnetic fields.
Infrastructure and Nanotechnology for Nonlinear Measurements
The Paul Scherrer Institute is acquiring a specialized cryostat funded by the ERC to facilitate these sensitive measurements, according to project details. This cooling device reaches temperatures near absolute zero—approximately -273.15 degrees Celsius—while generating strong magnetic fields. Sala and his research team will fabricate and measure structures only a few micrometres in size at the PSI Quantum Matter and Materials Center, passing electric currents through samples to monitor electron deflection and seek nonlinear effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of the Q-GEOMSPIN project?
The project aims to experimentally link spintronics and quantum geometry, uncovering overlooked spintronic effects to enable more efficient data storage solutions.
How much funding did Giacomo Sala receive?
Sala received approximately €2.3 million, or CHF 2.2 million, from the European Research Council over a five-year period.
Why is Switzerland’s association with EU research programs important here?
Switzerland’s full association with EU research programs at the end of 2025 allowed Sala to receive the ERC grant directly, streamlining the funding process for his research at PSI.
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