Research Projects

Artificial spin ices (ASI) are new class of metamaterials that exhibit a variety of properties, such as collective dynamics, emergent magnetic monopoles etc. These are lithographically patterned, two dimensional planar arrays of single-domain ferromagnetic nanomagnets which are arranged in specific designs and are coupled by their dipolar magnetic fields. The nanomagnets are arranged in such a way that their moments (often called macrospins) are frustrated, which means that not all interactions between the nanomagnets can be satisfied simultaneously. The frustrated magnetic interactions can be tuned by lithography and magnetic field. Local excitations which lead to generation of emergent magnetic monopoles in these system offers a unique opportunity to study magnetic and electronic charge transport in these systems. By means of careful design, it is also possible to control the emergent magnetic monopoles, which is important for device applications. In this project, magneto-transport and low frequency electronic noise measurement will be performed on different ASI architecture. The insight gained from the project will shed light on how low electronic noise and magneto-transport signatures are related with magnetic states in these ASI systems. The electronic signals may be helpful in neuromorphic computing or other spintronic devices.