MAT6390   Nanoscale Magnetic Materials and Devices   (15 credits)

Description

Assuming little or no prior knowledge of magnetic materials, it begins with an introduction to the different types of magnetism materials can exhibit and the physics that underlie these. It then focuses on technologically useful ferromagnetic materials and explores the basic magnetic energies that control their properties. These energies are then used to explore how both hard and soft bulk magnetic materials are optimised for applications, for example transformer cores and permanent magnets. We then turn our attention to the use of magnetic materials at the nanoscale, exploring how the properties of magnets change when fabricated into thin films and nanostructures, and how these unique properties can be harnessed in powerful information technology devices. Finally, we discuss how nanoscale magnetic materials are fabricated and characterised.

Reading List