Bridging the Gap between Extreme Environments and Precision Measurements: Recent Progress in Megagauss Physics

TL;DR

This review discusses recent advances in generating ultrastrong magnetic fields above 1000 T using pulsed magnets, and highlights measurement techniques revealing novel physical phenomena in extreme environments.

Contribution

It presents technological breakthroughs in megagauss field generation and specialized measurement infrastructures enabling high-precision studies in extreme magnetic conditions.

Findings

Achieved magnetic fields exceeding 1,000 T with EMFC methods.

Discovered quantum phase transitions and Aharonov--Bohm effects in high-field experiments.

Developed miniaturized cryostats and custom sample holders for extreme conditions.

Abstract

Ultrastrong magnetic fields, ranging from 100~T to 1,000~T, are generated exclusively by destructive pulsed magnets. While various generation methods exist, this review focuses on the Single-Turn Coil (STC) and Electromagnetic Flux Compression (EMFC) techniques, which provide optimal environments for high-precision measurements in materials science. First, we present recent technological breakthroughs in the EMFC method that have successfully achieved fields exceeding 1,000~T. We then describe specialized measurement infrastructures for magneto-optics, magnetization, and magneto-transport, highlighting the development of miniaturized all-plastic cryostats and custom sample holders designed for the dual extremes of cryogenic temperatures and megagauss fields. Representative physical phenomena revealed through these techniques are discussed, including quantum phase transitions in frustrated magnets, Aharonov--Bohm effects in carbon nanotubes, and semiconductor-to-metal transitions in strongly correlated systems. Furthermore, we address emerging measurement platforms such as magnetostriction, specific heat, and ultrasound velocity. Throughout this review, we emphasize the instrumentation and experimental refinements that ensure reliable data acquisition in the ultrastrong pulsed field regime.