Xufeng Zhang, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University, is exploring how magnets can enhance the energy efficiency of quantum computers. Recently, Zhang published two papers that describe small-scale magnetic systems with the potential to lead to more energy-efficient computing technologies in the future. One of these papers was shared on arXiv, a preprint server where researchers post their findings before formal publication, and the other was published in the journal Physical Review Letters. These studies focus on innovative ways to use magnetic systems for computing applications. A key element of Zhang's research is the use of magnons—quasiparticles that represent spin waves in magnetic materials like nickel and iron. Spin waves occur when electrons in these materials are disturbed, but unlike electrical currents, they do not generate electrical charges. This means that devices using spin waves avoid "ohmic loss," a common issue in electronics where electrical energy is converted into heat. This heat buildup is a significant challenge in modern computing, often causing processors to overheat. Zhang's team is working on hybrid devices that combine spin waves with other types of waves, such as microwaves and acoustic waves. These hybrid systems aim to leverage the strengths of each wave type. For example, acoustic waves are effective at filtering out unwanted frequencies in devices like cellphones, but they are difficult to adjust. Magnonic devices, by contrast, are highly tunable. By combining the two, Zhang and his team are developing tunable filters that can be precisely adjusted to meet specific needs. Zhang explained that magnons alone have limited practical applications, mostly confined to research settings. His team is working on new devices that can enhance interactions between magnons and other elements like light and sound. They are also developing methods to control these interactions more precisely when needed. The potential applications of this research are broad, including improving the signal reception in smartphones, increasing the accuracy of MRI machines, and advancing studies on dark matter. One of the most promising areas is quantum computing, where Zhang hopes to use magnetic systems to connect different types of quantum computers, which are still in early development. These machines could revolutionize fields like drug discovery and artificial intelligence, but they currently face challenges in communication and scalability.