Highlights

• Research team from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz develops novel dual-comb spectroscopy technique revealing previously unknown atomic transitions in samarium.
• Enhanced spectroscopy method could impact future magnet design, nuclear applications, and quantum technologies.
• Study demonstrates critical link between frontier scientific research and strategic rare earth supply chain innovations.

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A research team from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (opens in a new tab) (JGU) and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (opens in a new tab) (HIM) has developed (opens in a new tab) a novel spectroscopy technique that revealed previously unknown atomic transitions in samarium, one of the strategically important rare earth elements. The study, led by Razmik Aramyan (opens in a new tab) under the supervision of Professor Dmitry Budker (opens in a new tab), has been published in Physical Review Applied.

Breakthrough in Spectroscopy

The team advanced dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) — a Nobel Prize–winning laser-based technique — by implementing a multichannel detection system with improved signal-to-noise ratios. This enhanced approach enabled broadband, high-resolution measurements that overcame longstanding challenges in mapping complex rare earth spectra. Using samarium vapor as their first test case, the researchers identified new absorption lines not previously described in existing datasets.

Why This Matters for Rare Earths

Samarium is not just a physics curiosity. It plays a vital role in samarium–cobalt permanent magnets, used in defense, aerospace, and high-temperature applications where neodymium-based magnets fail. Improved understanding of its atomic structure could inform both fundamental physics experiments and applied material sciences, potentially enabling advances in magnet design, nuclear applications, and quantum technologies. By pushing spectroscopy into a new era — what the team dubs “Spectroscopy 2.0” — this method may accelerate discovery across the rare earth spectrum, a sector where knowledge gaps remain.

Implications for Supply Chains

For investors and strategists in the rare earth supply chain, this research is a reminder that innovation at the atomic level underpins long-term technological and industrial advances. Precision tools like enhanced DCS not only help physicists probe fundamental questions but also may influence future materials engineering and magnetic performance benchmarks. In an era when geopolitical risks make samarium and other rare earths central to defense planning, every advance in scientific understanding tightens the feedback loop between lab discovery and industrial application.

Limitations to Note

While groundbreaking, the study represents early-stage physics work rather than an immediate commercial breakthrough. The experiments were confined to laboratory-scale spectroscopy of vaporized samarium, and translating this knowledge into usable improvements in magnet design or rare earth processing will require years of applied research and industrial testing. Moreover, the technique’s reliance on complex laser systems and advanced detection equipment may limit its near-term adoption outside specialized research centers.

Conclusion

The Mainz team’s achievement underscores a central theme for the rare earth industry: frontier science and supply chain security move in tandem. By refining tools that map atomic spectra, researchers are not only advancing fundamental physics but also laying groundwork for future innovations in magnetics, quantum technologies, and defense applications. Nations such as China have long paired basic research with industrial policy in rare earths, a strategy that Western economies are only beginning to match or in the U.S. case, represents an approach not seen since programs merging national defense and proactive industrial policy during  World War 2, the Manhattan Project and the Cold War.  As knowledge gaps close, the discoveries made in labs today could ripple into the strategic markets of tomorrow — from aerospace to energy storage.

Citation: Aramyan, R., Budker, D., et al. “Enhanced multichannel dual-comb spectroscopy of complex systems.” Physical Review Applied 24, L021002 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1103/7ktx-4h8m (opens in a new tab)

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