SPIN TEXTURES

Overview

We are interested in novel spin textures, especially those occurring in three-dimensional (3D) magnetic objects. Curvature, domain walls, 3D spin and space, topology are some of our daily words at work. We design and fabricate devices, image their spin textures and influence these with spin-polarized currents or externally applied magnetic fields. The applied background includes the proposed concept of 3D race-track memory. This research topic is driven in close collaboration with colleagues in the Theory group, PFNC at Minatec, Institut Néel, and expert chemist groups in Germany and Spain.

Research topics

Spin textures by models

We investigate the existence, energetics and dynamics of 3D spin textures under magnetic field and spin-polarized current by using and developing our home-made feeLLGood micromagnetic code, combined with analytical modeling.

Spin textures by experiments

From nanowires to multilayered nanotubes, we observe samples compliant for spintronic devices. Probing the strength of a spin texture’s topological protection against transformation or annihilation is a major goal. We also contribute to the development of 3D MRAM (MRAM team).

Material research

We design and synthesize samples to stabilize 3D spin textures using bottom-up chemical synthesis (anodization, electroplating, electroless deposition, atomic layer deposition). We further use lithography/FIB for electrical contacting and design specific sample supports for original in-situ experiments.

Magnetic imaging

Magnetic imaging of 3D spin textures requires high spatial resolution (nanoscale) as well as bulk/surface and multi-component sensitivity. We are developing expertise in electron-, X-ray & near-field probes, both in the lab and at external facilities, including development of instruments and image data treatment.

The team

Former members

Post-docs

Sylvain MARTIN (2016-2018)
Dhananjay TIWARO (2018-2021)
Jérôme HURST (2019-2021)

PhD

Arnaud DERIZ (2017-2021).
Michael SCHÖBITZ (2017-2021). Joint with Institut NEEL.
Michal STANO (2014-2017), Joint with Institut NEEL.
Beatrix TRAPP (2015-2018). Joint with Institut NEEL.
Alexis WARTELLE (2013-2017). Joint with Institut NEEL.

Internships

Sara BONET-GOMEZ (2021)
Ondrej NOVOTNY (2020)
Zied BELKHIRI (2020)
Hoel ROBERT (2018). Joint with INAC/MEM.

Projects

M3d, FP7 (2012-2016).
MILF, ANR (2019-2022).
C3DS, ANR-DFG (2019-2022).

Partners

Institut NEEL, Grenoble, France.
PFNC @ Minatec, Grenoble, France.
J. Bachmann. Department of Chemistry, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
W. Ensinger. Materialanalytik – TU Darmstadt, Germany.
Microscopy group (I3EM), CEMES, Toulouse, France.
L. Perez, IMDEA, Madrid, Spain.
M. Vazquez, GNMP-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
M. Foerster, L. Aballe, ALBA synchrotron, Barcelona, Spain.
S. Finizio, J. Raabe, SLS Synchrotron, Villigen, Switzerland.
R. Belkhou, SOLEIL Synchrotron, Orsay, France.
A. Lubk, D. Wolf, IFW, Dresden, Germany.
J. M. de Teresa, INA, Zaragoza, Spain.
A. Fernandez-Pacheco, The Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, UK.
C. Phatak, Argonne National Lab., Chicago, USA.

Recent news

Olivier Fruchart becomes Vice-President of the European Magnetism Association (August 29th, 2019)
Olivier Fruchart, Deputy Director of Spintec, has been elected Vice-President of the European Magnetism Association for a three-year mandate, alongside Burkard Hillebrands from Kaiserslautern, elected President. The purpose of the European Magnetism Association (EMA) is ...
Modeling magnetic-field-induced domain wall propagation in modulated-diameter cylindrical nanowires (August 27th, 2019)
Domain wall propagation in modulated-diameter cylindrical nanowires is a key phenomenon to be studied with a view to designing three-dimensional magnetic memory devices. In this framework, we quantified theoretically the driving force needed for ...
Seminar – Brownian computing using skyrmions (June 13th, 2019)
On Friday July 12 at 11:00 we have the pleasure to welcome Prof. Yoshishige SUZUKI from Osaka University. He will give us a seminar at CEA/IRIG, Bat 1005, room 445 entitled : Brownian computing using skyrmions We ...
Seminar – skyrmions in the Zero-Magnetisation Limit (March 26th, 2019)
On Friday April 5, we have the pleasure to welcome Laurent Ranno from Néel Institute, he will give us a talk at 14:30, CEA/SPINTEC, Bat 1005, room 434A entitled : Skyrmions in the Zero-Magnetisation Limit Skyrmions have ...
[POSITION FILLED] PhD position – Exploring the scalability of spintronics for 3D devices (March 17th, 2019)
Topic Classical microelectronics is reaching its limits of downward scalability, reaching technological or scientific bottlenecks. Magnetic random access memories, based on magnetic tunnel junctions storing and reading bits of information, are emerging key ICT components. They ...