Exploring Topological States in 2D Magnetic Materials

Magnetic materials form the basis of many modern-day technologies, yet the discovery of two-dimensional magnetic materials remains an outstanding research challenge that could transform science and technology. The 2016 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to Thouless, Haldane and Kosterlitz for their theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter. In particular, by using topology, they showed that the physics of low-dimensional materials is entirely different to our three-dimensional world. This PhD project, supported by the Centre for Doctoral Training in Topological Design, aims to utilise these seminal developments in topology to design and characterise novel realisations in an emerging class of 2D magnetic materials - metal-organic nanosheets (MONs) - in which low-dimensional magnetic interactions are predicted to give rise to exotic and novel materials properties.
Building on recent developments at the University of Birmingham, this project will involve the synthesis of novel magnetic MONs and will aim to understand how their structural and magnetic behaviours evolve on approaching the two-dimensional limit. This work will include the solution synthesis of magnetic metal-organic framework materials, their exfoliation to form 2D MONs and the characterisation of their bulk structure and properties. This will be complemented by on-surface fabrication of MONs and in-situ characterisation, as well as the development of methods needed to detect the structure and properties of various layered magnetic materials in the 2D limit. This project will integrate experimental activity at the University of Birmingham with work done at international synchrotron central facilities.