Innovative fabrication method for flat magnetic nanostructures
Researchers at Uppsala University have developed a new method for fabricating flat magnetic nanostructures. The new method makes it possible to create combinations of materials at the nanometer scale that were previously beyond reach with conventional lithography.
“These flat magnetic nanostructures present promising potential for advanced applications, including in-material computation, that is that the material itself can function as a computer, processing and calculating solutions internally, making certain types of problem-solving faster and more efficient", says Christina Vantaraki, PhD student at the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the developer of the method.
This new way of designing nano magnets was supported through resources at the Materials Physics Division of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, MyFab Uppsala, and the Tandem Laboratory and was achieved in four steps.
The first step was the deposition of a non-magnetic film using a sputtering technique, where high-energy particles from a plasma bombard a target material, causing its atoms to be ejected and deposited onto a substrate. The next step was the creation of a patterned mask with nanometric holes through electron-beam lithography, where a focused beam of electrons creates patterns.
In the third step, magnetic material, such as iron, was implanted into the film with a process called ion implantation. This step transfers the pattern from the mask and embeds magnetic properties directly into the unmasked regions of the film.
“Ion implantation fully plays out its strength as an additive, non-equilibrium tool at the nano scale during synthesis of these structures”, adds Daniel Primetzhofer, Professor in Experimental Physics.
Fabrication process of flat magnetic UU’s logo in nanometer scale. Picture: Christina Vantaraki
In the final step the mask was chemically removed, revealing the flat magnetic nanostructures.
“The flatness and precise processing of these nanostructures make them ideal for combining into existing electronic and photonic systems”, concludes Vassilios Kapaklis, Professor in Materials Physics.
This innovative method opens up new frontiers for studying complex magnetic phenomena and for magnetic nanotechnology, with potential applications ranging from flat optics to next-generation computational systems.
Camilla Thulin
Article Reference
Christina Vantaraki, Petter Ström, Tuan T. Tran, Matías P. Grassi, Giovanni Fevola, Michael Foerster, Jerzy T. Sadowski, Daniel Primetzhofer, Vassilios Kapaklis; Magnetic metamaterials by ion-implantation. Applied Physics Letter. 11 november 2024; 125 (20): 202403. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0239106