Functional thin films and heterostructures

Magnetic thin films and layered heterostructures exhibit a range of intriguing properties stemming from their nanoscale dimensions, surface effects, and interfacial interactions. These characteristics make them highly relevant for fundamental studies while also serving as key components in modern and emerging technologies, including information storage, sensors, actuators, and micro/nano-electromechanical systems.

Our research spans from the design and fabrication to the comprehensive study of the magnetic and transport properties of metallic and oxide thin films and heterostructures. These materials, grown on both rigid and flexible substrates, are investigated for fundamental studies aimed at correlating morpho-structural characteristics with magnetic and transport properties, as well as for applications in sensing, data storage, and biomedicine.

FOCUSES

Interfaced Heterostructures

Flexible, Curved, and 3D Structures

Patterned Structures

Anisotropy Simmetry & Reversal Mechanism

MAIN STAFF: S. Laureti, A. Capobianchi, P. Maltoni, E. Patrizi, D. Peddis, G. Varvaro*

*ISM - CNR| email: gaspare.varvaro@cnr.it| Ph: +390690672651

Interfaced Heterostructures

Interfacing different materials at the nanoscale represents an efficient tool to fabricate advanced materials where the mutual interaction between the constituent phases at the interfacial region brings to new physical properties and functionalities do not present in either of the individual materials. The activity at the nM2-Lab is aimed at designing and investigating nanoscale-engineered magnetic materials, where the overall magnetic properties are dominated by the interface effects. The focus is on metallic [e.g., Co/(Pd, Pt, Ni)-based multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy], oxide (e.g., all-spinel Fe3O4-based heterostructures) or mixed systems (e.g., STO/Co) even with complex architectures, with tunable magnetic and transport properties of interest for both fundamental research and applications in sensing, spintronics, and memory technologies.

Flexible, Curved, and 3D Structures

Flexible materials, capable of being mechanically bent or stretched, along with curved and 3D structures at the microscale, represent a pioneering research domain with transformative potential across a wide range of disciplines. These systems exhibit unique emergent and transport properties that are absent in their flat counterparts, opening new avenues for innovation. At the nM2-Lab, the focus is on designing complex thin-film heterostructures with tailored magnetic and transport properties on flexible substrates, as well as microscale curved architectures. This research bridges fundamental studies with practical applications in cutting-edge fields such as sensing, soft robotics, and biomedicine, paving the way for next-generation technologies.

Patterned Structures

At the nano- and micro-scale, materials exhibit unique physical properties that differ significantly from their bulk counterparts. The research activity at the nM2-Lab aims at exploit cost-effective, large-area nanosphere lithography approach to fabricate nano- and micro-scale disks with complex magnetic configurations (e.g., vortices, synthetic antiferromagnets, and spin-valves), representing a bridge between magnetic nanoparticles and thin films. The research aims at understanding the correlation between magnetic and transport properties and object size, with potential applications in advanced biomedical technologies

Anisotropy Simmetry & Reversal Mechanism

The development of novel magnetic materials and devices hinges on a deep understanding of magnetic phenomena and their correlation with morpho-structural properties. At the nM2-Lab, advanced angular and vector magnetic measurements are employed to study magnetization reversal mechanisms, as well as the symmetry and magnitude of magnetic anisotropy in thin films and heterostructures. This research provides critical insights into the design of materials with tailored magnetic properties.

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