It is well-known that confinement and finite size effects alter the magnetic properties of materials. It has been recently revealed that these finite size effects could be used for new magnetic applications, as in spintronic devices. Hence, it is important to understand the magnetic behavior of individual construction blocks, which will eventually be inserted into the most complex structures to perform new functions. Added to this technological relevance and from the vantage point of research in basic sciences, there are exiting fundamental questions that are yet to be answered, stemming from the interaction of the induced modifications of shape and finite size of the magnetic behavior.

Research at the Center of Excellence for Novel Materials (CENM) focuses on hybrid nanostructures used for spin injection control to create a polarized spin current that can be useful in spin-dependent transport (i.e., in spin valve applications). Elastic exchange films and nanocrystal alloys combining soft and hard ferromagnetic layers within composites with improved characteristics can potentially transcend the properties of the world’s strongest commercial grade magnets, NdFeB.

Coordinator in charge: Prof. María Elena Gómez – Thin-Film Group – Universidad del Valle – Cali.

Participating research groups and laboratories:

• Thin-Film Research Group – Universidad del Valle – Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Group of Physical Metallurgy and Phase Transition Theory – Universidad del Valle - Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Solid-State Research Group – Universidad de Antioquia – Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Novel Materials Research Group – Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Low-Temperature Research Group – Universidad del Cauca – Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Optoelectronics Research Group - Universidad del Quindío - Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Materials and Plasma Research Group - Universidad del Tolima - Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.
• Composite Materials Research Group - Universidad del Valle - Group recognized by Colciencias – 2004.

Specific areas

• Preparation and characterization of magnetic systems based on ferrous and manganese oxides
• Nano-magnetic oxides: Magnetism, magnetic oxides and magnetic properties at the nanoscale
• Theoretical and numerical simulation of the magnetic behavior of materials
• Nanocomposite and Nano-structured magnetic alloys for hard and soft magnetic materials

Objectives

• To produce ferrous and manganese based oxides in thin-film form for sputtering, as well as in nano-structured powder form through mechanical alloying and sol-gel methods.
• To synthesize – via different growth techniques – VOx magnetic nano-oxide materials, LaMnO3-type doped manganites in thin-film form and heterostructures to develop fundamental knowledge of nano-crystalline magnetic oxide materials for applications in electronics and spintronics.
• To measure and study the structure, morphology, and magneto-transport properties of synthesized nano-oxide systems to acquire clear understanding of the chemical factors that control microscopic physical behavior for atomic to mesoscopic length scales, and use this knowledge for the design and synthesis of new oxide systems where the electronic ordering can be controlled.