Recent advances in nanomagnetism and spin electronics

Abstract

This paper presents recent experimental advances in the field of nanomagnetism and spin electronics. It covers the period of the last decades during which fundamental discoveries such as giant magnetoresistance have been successfully transferred to industrial applications. Such results could be obtained thanks to the improvements of thin film deposition and lithography techniques. Present preparation efforts are now oriented towards lateral size reduction of continuous layers in order to minimize the size of potential devices, as well as to understand better the basic mechanisms of magnetic interactions. At the same time, experimental techniques such as magnetooptic microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, polarized photoelectron spectroscopies or magnetotransport have accomplished significant progress, allowing us to observe in detail magnetic configurations of nanostructures and their magnetoresistive response.

Exchange bias effect in alloys and compounds

“…[17]. Recently, Bobo et al described few examples of EB using MR in a review [18]. The studies of EB using MR has also been observed in very few structurally single-phase compounds [121,99,188,139,193].…”

Magnetic second-harmonic generation from the terraces and steps of aligned magnetic nanostructures grown on low symmetry interfaces

“…Although ferromagnetic behaviour is observed here, both lower temperature studies and perpendicular magnetization measurements, which are not possible with the current experimental arrangement, would be needed for more detailed interpretation. For example, it is possible that the steps (figure 2(b), regions 1 and 2) have an out-of-plane easy axis [2], or a lower Curie temperature (T C ) due to increased instability to magnon formation as dimensionality is reduced [27].…”

Low-voltage electro-optical memory device based on NiO nanorods dispersed in a ferroelectric liquid crystal

“…[29][30][31][32] This versatile material has exciting properties such as transparent conduction, magnetism and resistance switching which renders its use in spintronics and resistive random access memories. [33][34][35] Recent efforts are made to evaluate the performance of nNiO in nematic LC, in which it is seen that twisted nematic LC doped with nNiO exhibited lower threshold voltage and faster response time.…”