Nanomagnetism and Nanotechnology

The fundamental target of the subject should be to offer students an introduction to magnetism and its applications focusing on the emerging field of nanostructured materials. Starting from basic concepts of Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics, in the first part of the subject the basic magnetic phenomena will be discussed both from an experimental and theoretical point of view. Emphasis will be placed on a phenomenological approach, sometimes sacrificing more precise and complex developments. The second part of the course aims to offer a synthesis of the properties of nanomagnetic materials most used for their scientific and technological interest, highlighting their most interesting applications. At the end of the course, the student will understand Learning Outcomes:

Regarding the subject Nanomagnetism and nanotechnology, the student will demonstrate:

-Be able to understand and apply the theoretical and practical bases of magnetic phenomena, focusing on the emerging field of nanostructured materials and their technological applications.

- Understand nanomagnetism as an important part of the current research in physics of materials in continuous evolutionnanomagnetism as an important part of current research in continuous evolution.

Introduction: Magnetic moments, Bohr-van Leeuwen's theorem, Magnetism and Quantum Mechanics.

Isolated magnetic moments: An atom in a magnetic field. Magnetic susceptibility, diamagnetism, paramagnetism. Hund rules.

Magnetic interactions: magnetic dipole interaction, exchange interaction.

Organization and magnetic structures: Ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, ferrimagnetism, helical arrangements, spin glasses.

Magnetic ordering and symmetry breaking: Symmetry break. Models (Landau, Heisenberg, Ising, xy). Consequences of the symmetry breaking: existence of phase transitions, rigidity, magnetic excitations: spin waves, defects. Phase transitions, midfield, critical exponents.

Itinerant magnetism: Paramagnetism of Pauli. Landau diamagnetism, Spin density waves. Electronic structure and magnetism.

Domain structures: Magnetic anisotropy energy. Domain walls. Formation of domains. Magnetization processes.

Magnetic nanoparticles: Dependence of the domain structure with the size of the particles: monodominium particles. Model of Stoner-Wolfarth. Superparamagnetism. Technological applications Metallic nanoparticles. Optical properties Nanoantenas

Magnetic films and layers. Magnetism of surfaces. Magnetic coupling between layers. Technological aBpplications

Magnetoresistance and its technological applications: Normal magnetoresistance. Giant magnetoresistance Colossal magnetoresistance Magnet resistance through tunel effect. Applications: spin valves, magnetic memories and sensors. Hall effect. Spintronics

Basic bibliography:

"Magnetism in condesed matter", Stephen Blundell, Oxford Master Series in Condensed Matter Physics, 2001.

Complementary bibliography:

"Spin electronics", M. Ziese, M. J. Thornton, Springer 2001.

"Magnetism. from fundamentals to nanoscale dynamics", J Stohr, H. C. Siegmann, Springer 2006.

"Fundamentals of magnetism", M. Getzlaff, Springer 2008.

"Principes of nanomagnetism", A. P. Guimaraes, Springer 2009.

"Quantum theory of magnetism", W. Nolting, Springer 2009.

"Magnetism and magnetic materials", J. D. M. Coey, Cambridge, 2010.

"Introduction to nanoscience", S. M. Lindsay, Oxford, 2010.

"Fundamentals of nanotechnology", G. L. Horniak et al. CRC Press, 2009.

"Nanoscience and technology: A collection reviews from Nature journals. Editado por P. Rogers. Nature publishing group. 2010.

"Introduction to spintronics", S. Bandyopadhyay, CRC Press, 2008.

The competencies that students are expected to acquire in this subject are specific knowledge of magnetism, as well as the introductory foundations of other core disciplines such as Statistical Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Solid State and Electronics.

BASIC SKILLS

CB1 - That students demonstrate possession and understanding of knowledge in an area of study that starts from the base of general secondary education, and that is usually at a level that, although supported by advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve cutting-edge knowledge of their field of study
CB2-That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and have the skills that are usually demonstrated through the development and defense of arguments and problem solving within their area of study.
CB3-That students have the ability to collect and interpret relevant data (generally within their area of study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature.

GENERAL COMPETENCES

CG1 - Know the most important concepts, methods and results of the different branches of Physics, together with a certain historical perspective of its development.
CG2 - Have the ability to collect and interpret relevant data, information and results, draw conclusions and issue reasoned reports on scientific, technological or other fields that require the use of Physics knowledge.
CG3 - Apply both the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired as well as the capacity for analysis and abstraction in the definition and formulation of problems and in the search for their solutions in both academic and professional contexts.

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES

CT1 - Acquire analysis and synthesis capacity.
CT2 - Have the ability to organize and plan.
CT5 - Develop critical reasoning.

SPECIFIC COMPETENCES

CE1 - Have a good knowledge of the most important physical theories, locating in their logical and mathematical structure, their experimental support and the physical phenomenon that can be described through them.
CE2 - Being able to clearly handle orders of magnitude and make appropriate estimates to develop a clear perception of situations that, although physically different, show a certain analogy, allowing the use of known solutions to new problems.
CE5 - Be able to carry out the essentials of a process or situation and establish a working model for it, as well as carry out the necessary approaches to reduce the problem to a manageable level. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to build physical models.
CE6- Understand and master the use of the most widely used mathematical and numerical methods in Physics.
CE8 - Be able to handle, search for and use the bibliography, as well as any relevant source of information and apply it in research and technical development of projects.T

The activities from which the teaching of the subject will be developed will be of several types: theoretical classes, seminars and problems. Student participation will be essential in seminars and problems classes. Likewise, hours of tutorials will be available to the student for individualized discussions of any doubts that may arise about the contents of the subjects.

Class attendance will be compulsory and the evaluation will be continuous and will be carried out through the delivery of exercise bulletins, carrying out controls and / or carrying out a monographic work on a topic of the recent bibliography of interest for the course. There will also be a final exam, on the date scheduled by the dean for those students who do not pass the continuous evaluation or want to upload a grade.

The fraudulent performance of any exercise or test required in the
evaluation of a subject will imply the qualification of failure in the
corresponding call, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be
followed against the offending student. It is considered fraudulent,
among others, the performance of plagiarized work or work obtained from
sources accessible to the public without reworking or reinterpretation
and without citation of the authors and sources.

It is a subject of 4.5 ECTS credits. It corresponds to 45 hours of face-to-face classes, 24 expository and 18 interactive, 3 tutorials and 67.5 hours of personal work.

This is a complex subject in which the student will be presented with many concepts that he will later develop in other core subjects. It is recommended to bring the subject up to date, trying to reproduce the class calculations, consult the recommended bibliography to clarify those points that represent for the student some difficulty and above all use the tutorials to resolve any doubts that may arise.