Creating, controlling, and studying exotic types of magnets with light
In ferromagnets, such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, the magnetic moments of electrons – the ‘spins’ – all align in the same direction. This property underpins many technologies, from compass needles to computer memories, and forms the foundation of ‘spintronics’ – a spin-based analog of electronics. Spintronics provides advantages compared to electronics, such as lower power use, faster speeds, and new functionalities, making it promising for faster and more sustainable computing. Modern spintronics primarily uses ferromagnets, but nature offers magnets with more exotic spin patterns like ‘antiferromagnets,’ ‘altermagnets,’ ‘skyrmions,’ and ‘topological insulators.’ These materials could lead to even more efficient spintronic devices, but creating and controlling them is a major challenge in spintronics research.
One solution is using ultrashort pulses of light to create these spin patterns. To understand their potential, we must know how the electron’s movements and their spin interact on extremely short timescales of picoseconds (one-millionth of one-millionth of a second) or faster. Blank’s project focuses on using light to create unconventional magnetic states on ultrafast timescales and analyzing them with a technique known as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). This technique provides direct insights into how the electrons in the material move and what the spin patterns and, thus, the exotic forms of magnetism look like. The aim of the project is to demonstrate how and how fast the exotic spin patterns may form, enabling the development of faster, more energy-efficient spintronic devices for future applications. “This is critical, as spintronics is seen as the key to developing the next generation of environmentally sustainable information technologies.”
Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Correlated Materials
Dr. Blank completed his PhD in the Department of Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Correlated Materials, a research department part of IMM. The department, headed by Prof. Alexey Kimel, focuses on controlling and understanding strongly correlated materials, such as magnets, using light on ultrashort timescales. A key application of this research is to develop methods for ultrafast and energy-efficient data writing on magnetic devices.
Rubicon grant
International research experience is crucial for advancing a scientific career. Rubicon provides recent PhD graduates (within the past year) with the opportunity to gain experience at a research institution abroad, enhancing their prospects for future academic success. Blank’s project will begin in March and will span two years.