Annual Review 2024-2025

M A G N E T I C M AT E R I A L S G R O U P of skyrmions. On beamline I16, interference effects in hard X-ray scattering have led to a deeper understanding of long-range magnetic ordering in canted antiferromagnets. Inelastic X-ray Scattering on beamline I21 has been used in groundbreaking experiments measuring orbital excitations, magnon dispersion and electron-phonon coupling in several highly- correlated systems. I17 is in the planning stages as a flagship Diamond-II beamline and will be a unique facility for performing polarised X-ray imaging from quantum and functional materials. The MMG also runs the Materials Characterisation Laboratory (MCL), to characterise and align samples. The MCL houses a Supernova X-ray diffractometer, SQUID, AFM and sputtering and wire bonding facilities. The research output from the MMG beamlines demonstrates how polarised X-ray science can uncover dramatic changes in the magnetic properties of materials from subtle changes to the geometric and electronic structure. Diamond’s Magnetic Materials Group (MMG) concentrates on emergent phenomena in quantum materials using the capabilities of beamlines I06, I10, I16 and I21. The research encompasses a variety of challenges and opportunities at the frontiers of condensed matter physics and materials science ranging from topological states of matter, superconductivity, spintronics, two-dimensional systems, skyrmions and multiferroics. The key insights made by the research community exploit the high sensitivity of polarised X-ray spectroscopy, microscopy and scattering available across the beamlines. For instance, polarised soft X-rays combined with the PhotoEmission Electron Microscope (PEEM) on beamline I06 have visualised the domain dynamics underpinning antiferromagnetic spintronics while the resonant soft X-ray scattering on beamline I10 has been used to understand the topological properties Magnetic Materials Group D I A M O N D L I G H T S O U R C E L I M I T E D 21 The I06 team