The first experimental realization of a magnetic M(n+1)AX(n) (MAX) phase, (Cr(0.75)Mn(0.25))(2)GeC, is presented, synthesized as a heteroepitaxial single crystal thin film, exhibiting excellent structural quality. This self-organized atomic laminate is based on the well-known Cr(2)GeC, with Mn, a new element in MAX phase research, substituting Cr. The compound was predicted using first-principles calculations, from which a variety of magnetic behavior is envisaged, depending on the Mn concentration and Cr/Mn atomic configuration within the sublattice. The analyzed thin films display a magnetic signal at room temperature.

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Electromagnetic metamaterials 1 are a class of materials which have been artificially structured on a subwavelength scale. They are currently the focus of a great deal of interest because they allow access to previously unrealisable properties like a negative refractive index 2 . Most metamaterial designs have so far been based on resonant elements, like split rings 3 , and research has concentrated on microwave frequencies and above. In this work, we present the first experimental realisation of a non-resonant metamaterial designed to operate at zero frequency. Our samples are based on a recently-proposed template 4 for an anisotropic magnetic metamaterial consisting of an array of superconducting plates. Magnetometry experiments show a strong, adjustable diamagnetic response when a field is applied perpendicular to the plates. We have calculated the corresponding effective permeability, which agrees well with theoretical predictions. Applications for this metamaterial may include non-intrusive screening of weak DC magnetic fields. The first metamaterials 3,5 were designed to operate at microwave frequencies. Since then, while there has been some research on radio-frequency metamaterials 6 , most of the research effort has been focused on higher frequencies: technologically-important microwaves or visible light 7 . The low-frequency end of the spectrum has remained relatively unexplored. In addition, the majority of metamaterials devised to date consist of an arrangement of resonant components. There is a good reason for this: the response of a resonator varies greatly as a function of the frequency at which it is being driven. Close to the resonant frequency, the amplitude of the response can be very large, while the phase changes. The range of available values of the response function, or susceptibility, is therefore very wide. One of the crowning achievements of (and driving forces behind) metamaterials research is the realization of a negative refractive index 2,8 , and a simple argument shows that this cannot be achieved without relying on resonant structures. However, the price of working close to the resonant frequency is that losses and frequency dispersion are greatest here. When a negative response is not required then a non-resonant structure is advantageous. Another recent development means that there is new demand for metamaterials with nonnegative anisotropic parameters. Transformation optics 9 is a design paradigm that allows a new level of control over electromagnetic fields. For a given design, it provides a recipe for the material parameters as a function of position. The parameters generated in this way are always non-negative and anisotropic. A spectacular demonstration of the technique was provided by the construction of an electromagnetic cloak 10 using metamaterials. The interior of the cloak is shielded from microwaves with minimal disruption to the exterior fields.

Inherently layered magnetic materials, such as magnetic M n+1 AX n (MAX) phases, offer an intriguing perspective for use in spintronics applications and as ideal model systems for fundamental studies of complex magnetic phenomena. The MAX phase composition M n+1 AX n consists of M n+1 X n blocks separated by atomically thin A-layers where M is a transition metal, A an A-group element, X refers to carbon and/or nitrogen, and n is typically 1, 2, or 3. Here, we show that the recently discovered magnetic Mn 2 GaC MAX phase displays structural changes linked to the magnetic anisotropy, and a rich magnetic phase diagram which can be manipulated through temperature and magnetic field. Using first-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations, an essentially one-dimensional (1D) interlayer plethora of two-dimensioanl (2D) Mn-C-Mn trilayers with robust intralayer ferromagnetic spin coupling was revealed. The complex transitions between them were observed to induce magnetically driven anisotropic structural changes. The magnetic behavior as well as structural changes dependent on the temperature and applied magnetic field are explained by the large number of low energy, i.e., close to degenerate, collinear and noncollinear spin configurations that become accessible to the system with a change in volume. These results indicate that the magnetic state can be directly controlled by an applied pressure or through the introduction of stress and show promise for the use of Mn 2 GaC MAX phases in future magnetoelectric and magnetocaloric applications.

(Cr1–xMnx)2AlC MAX phase thin films were synthesized by cathodic arc deposition. Scanning transmission electron microscopy including local energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analysis of the as‐deposited films reveals a Mn incorporation of as much as 10 at% in the structure, corresponding to x = 0.2. Magnetic properties were characterized with vibrating sample magnetometry, revealing a magnetic response up to at least room temperature. We thus verify previous theoretical predictions of an antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic ground state for Cr2AlC upon alloying with Mn. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Growth of (Cr0.5Mn0.5)2GaC thin films from C, Ga, and compound Cr0.5Mn0.5 targets is reported for depositions on MgO(111), 4H-SiC(0001) and Al2O3(0001) with and without a NbN(111) seed layer.Structural quality is found to be highly dependent on the choice of substrate with MgO (111)

Here, we use Andreev reflection spectroscopy to study the spin polarization of high quality CrO2 films. We study the spin polarization as a function of growth temperature, resulting in grain size and electrical resistivity. In these films low temperature growth appears to be a necessary but not sufficient condition to guarantee the observation of high spin polarization, and this is only observed in conjunction with suppressed superconducting gap values and anomalously low interface properties. We suggest that this combination of observations is a manifestation of the long range spin triplet proximity effect.

Low-dimensional magnetic heterostructures are a key element of spintronics, where magnetic interactions between different materials often define the functionality of devices. Although some interlayer exchange coupling mechanisms are by now well established, the possibility of direct exchange coupling via proximity-induced magnetization through non-magnetic layers is typically ignored due to the presumed short range of such proximity effects. Here we show that magnetic order can be induced throughout a 40-nm-thick amorphous paramagnetic layer through proximity to ferromagnets, mediating both exchange-spring magnet behaviour and exchange bias. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations show that nearest-neighbour magnetic interactions fall short in describing the observed effects and long-range magnetic interactions are needed to capture the extent of the induced magnetization. The results highlight the importance of considering the range of interactions in low-dimensional heterostructures and how magnetic proximity effects can be used to obtain new functionality.