Indirect Magnetic Interactions: Tuning by Electric Field

With silicon-based electronics nearing its limits, spintronics and quantum computing have emerged as technologies promising unprecedented amounts of computational power.

One of the biggest challenges in these fields is engineering of systems allowing full control over large arrays of identical spin-centres.

In this project I aim to tackle this issue by fabricating a spintronic device in which one of the crucial parameters - the magnetic coupling between individual spin centres - can be efficiently modulated. This will be achieved by synthesizing a magnetic metal-organic network on top of a graphene field-effect transistor.

Here, the metal-organic network allows precise positioning of magnetic atoms into long-range-ordered lattices, and the gated graphene substrate enables precise tuning of the charge transfer from the deposited molecules via the applied gate voltage.

Thus, this project simultaneously addresses practical issues in device fabrication, as well as the fundamental mechanisms of magnetic coupling. Such a broad goal requires a concerted effort from researchers of different backgrounds.

The shared expertise of the Host Group at the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC) and me is optimally suited for this project: I am experienced in atomically-resolved imaging, spectroscopy, and reactivity studies of both conductive and insulating systems.

The Host Group has extensive experience with molecular self-assembly and graphene devices, and the Host Institution recently developed a novel state-of-the-art apparatus for Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy, a technique exquisitely sensitive for probing weak magnetic interactions.

Overall, this project will provide fundamental insight into the characteristics of weak magnetic interactions, for which current literature provides many conflicting predictions.

The resulting device will additionally serve as an ideal platform for further spintronic applications and quantum computing studies.