Spintronics with antiferromagnets

Antiferromagnetic spintronics is a rapidly emerging field that seeks to probe and control the magnetic state of antiferromagnetic materials electrically. The Spintronics group in Nottingham has recently developed novel antiferromagnetic thin films (Nature Communications 4, 2322 (2013)) with unique crystal symmetries allowing the discovery of a novel interaction between electrical current and magnetisation (Science 351, 587 (2016)). This project will build upon these recent achievements by developing a better understanding of the new phenomenon and the material system in which it has been observed. This will involve investigating the growth of new alloy compositions of the material system CuMn(As,Sb) and growth on different substrates, as well as investigating current induced control of the antiferromagnetic easy axis in micron-scale and nano-scale devices.