MAGNETISM OF NANOSTRUCTURES

The preparation and characterization of advanced magnetic nanomaterials is a key step for novel applications in spintronics and for biomedical applications. The materials, both inorganic and organic, are grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) in UHV environment, by sputtering or by chemical synthesis. They are in the shape of ultrathin films, superlattices, or nanoparticles and their magnetic properties are characterized by morphological (Microscopy), structural (LEED, XRD,), electronic (GMR), and (mostly optical) Magnetometry techniques. Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (sp-STM) is employed to achieve magnetic characterization at the atomic level, together with magnetic dichroism using synchrotron radiation.

The magnetization of nanostructures can be switched without applying a magnetic field, by making use of a strong interfacial spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in appropriate multilayer systems. This creates Spin-Orbitronic devices for smart and low-power consumption system in sensors and information technologies. The exploration of materials that can host topologically protected spin textures on the nanometer scale, such as magnetic skyrmions is also carried out.

Senior co-workers: Dr. Julio Camarero, Dr. M.A. Niño, Dr. Paolo Perna, Prof. J.J. de Miguel

Key Publications
  • “Emergence of non-collinear anisotropies from interfacial magnetic frustration in exchange bias systems”. 
    • E. Jiménez, J. Camarero, J. Sort, J. Nogués, N. Mikuszeit, J.M. García-Martín, A. Hoffmann, B. Dieny, and R. Miranda
    • Phys. Rev. B 80, 014415 (2009)
  • “Origin of the asymmetric magnetization reversal behaviour in exchange-biased systems: competing anisotropies”
    •  J. Camarero, J. Sort, A. Hoffmann, J.M. García-Martín, B. Dieny, R. Miranda and J. Nogués
    •  Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 57204 (2005)
  • “Curie Temperature of Ultrathin Films of fcc-Cobalt Epitaxially Grown on Atomically Flat Cu(100) Surface”. 
    • C.M. Schneider, P. Bressler, P. Schuster, J. Kirschner, J.J. de Miguel and R. Miranda.
    •  Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 1059 (1990).