Magneto-optics of atomically thin two-dimensional materials

Intro: Following the discovery of graphene, a large family of layered crystals has attracted significant attention. The properties of these materials range from superconductors and metals, to semiconductors and insulators. Properties of such quantum materials in a few-atomic-layer form are strongly influenced by the quantum confinement of the electronic excitations due to the extreme crystal thinness. Surprisingly, a family of layered ferromagnetic materials exists, which preserve their ferromagnetic properties even in an atomic monolayer form. Such 2D materials will revolutionise electronics, memory devices, and will have broad applications in quantum technologies, particularly in combination with other layered semiconductors.

Description of PhD: In this PhD project the student will explore novel ferromagnetic few atomic layer materials, will work on advancing their fabrication, and will develop methods for combining such materials with other 2D monolayer crystals, including magnetic materials, graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). The goal is to fabricate and explore novel types of opto-electronic devices taking advantage of very large local magnetic field generated by 2D ferromagnetic materials on the nano-scale. One of the experimental goals will be to learn how to employ optical characterisation techniques such as Raman scattering, photoluminescence and reflectance contrast to reveal the magnetic order in the few-layer material.