Magnetic Space Groups

Magnetic space groups are a way scientists classify the symmetries of materials that have magnetic properties, extending traditional crystal symmetry concepts. While regular space groups describe how atoms are arranged in a crystal, magnetic space groups also account for the orientation and behavior of magnetic moments (tiny magnetic fields within atoms). This helps scientists understand and predict complex magnetic phenomena in materials like magnets and spintronic devices, capturing how both the atomic positions and magnetic arrangements follow specific symmetrical patterns in three-dimensional space.