Group on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials.
Universidad del País Vasco.

The Group on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (Magnetismoa eta Material Magnetikoen Taldea) started working in the late 80's at the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU). The group is devoted to preparation and characterization of new magnetic materials with outstanding applications. Main research areas covered are: nanostructured magnetic thin films; ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloys (FSMA) in bulk, composite and thin film form; and Giant Magneto Impedance (GMI) thin films and devices. The group has more than 400 publications on JCR journals, takes part in international research projects and networks and is currently composed of about 15 members (Faculty and researchers). The Group is awarded as “Excellence Research Group” by the Basque Government Department of Education. It has developed most of the magnetism research and pioneered the use of large European research facilities for Condensed Matter in the Basque Country.

Personnel

• Members: José Manuel Barandiarán, Alfredo García Arribas, Iván Rodríguez Aseguinolaza, Javier Alonso Masa, Oscar Montero Martín, María Luisa Fernández-Gubieda Ruiz, Jon Gutiérrez Etxebarria, Galina Kurlyandskaya, Andrey Svalov, Ana García Prieto, Volodymyr Chernenko, Eduardo Fernández Martín, Patricia Lázpita Arizmendiarreta, Iñaki Orue Goikuria, Jorge Feuchtwanger, Valentin Toyos, Leire Idoiaga.

Research lines:

• Nanostructured thin films magnetic materials.
• Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloys (FSMA) in bulk, composite and thin film form.
• Giant Magneto Impedance (GMI) devices and thin films.

Current facilities and infrastructure:

• Pulsed Laser Deposition
• Sputtering technique
• Atomic/Magnetic Force Microscopy (AFM/MFM)
• Magneto-optical Kerr effect Microscopy
• Photolitography Laboratory
• SQUID magnetometer (SGiker facility)
• Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (SGiker facility)
• Neutron Techniques (Great European Instalation Facilities: ILL, ISIS)
• Synchrotron Radiation Techniques (Great European Instalation Facilities: ESRF, Diamond)

Research projects:

• "NETOSHIMA: NEw TOols for facing the Size-scale cHange In MAgnetic materials: selective spectroscopies and related magnetometries." MAT2008-06542-C04-02.
• "ACTIMAT: Nuevos Materiales Estratégicos; inteligentes, funcionales y compounds especiales." IE10-272.

Selection of recent publications (in the last 4 years):

• "Crossover from Superspin Glass to Superferromagnet in FexAg100-x nanostructured thin films (20≤x≤50)". J. Alonso, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, J.M. Barandiarán, A. Svalov, L. Fernández Barquín and D. Alba Venero, I. Orue; Physical Review B 82 (2010) 054406.
• "Interfacial magnetic coupling between Fe nanoparticles in FeAg granular alloys". J. Alonso, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, G. Sarmiento, J. Chaboy, R. Boada, A. García Prieto, D. Haskel, M. A. Laguna-Marco, J. C. Lang, C. Meneghini, L. Fernández Barquín, T. Neisius and I. Orue; IOP Nanotechnology, 23 (2012) 025705.
• "Collective magnetic behaviors in interacting magnetic nanoparticle". M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, J. Alonso, and L. Fernández Barquín; Chapter of the book: “Nanoparticles Featuring Electromagnetic Properties: From Science to Engineering" Research Signpost (2012) ISBN: 978-81-308-0480-4 Editors: Alessandro Chiolerio and Paolo Allia.
• "FeNi-based magnetoimpedance multilayers: tailoring of the softness by magnetic spacers". A. V. Svalov, E. Fernandez, A. Garcia-Arribas, J. Alonso, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, and G. V. Kurlyandskaya; Applied Physiscs Letter 100 (2012) 162410.
• "Effects of thermal annealing on the magnetic interactions in nanogranular Fe–Ag thin films". J. Alonso, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, A. Svalov, C. Meneghini, I. Orue. Journal of Alloys and Compound, vol. 536, S271-S276 (2012).
• "Magnetite biomineralization in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense: time-resolved magnetic and structural studies". M. Luisa Fdez-Gubieda, Alicia Muela, Javier Alonso, Ana García-Prieto, Luca Olivi, Rodrigo Fernández-Pacheco, and José Manuel Barandiarán; ACS Nano, vol.7, n.4, 3297-3305 (2013).
• "Magnetostatic interactions in various magnetosome clusters". N. A. Usov, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, and J. M. Barandiarán; Journal Applied Physics, 113, 023907 (2013) DOI: 10.1063/1.4775409.
• "Size-induced superantiferromagnetism with reentrant spin glass behavior in metallic nanoparticles of TbCu2". C. Echevarria-Bonet, D. P. Rojas, J. I. Espeso, J. Rodríguez Fernández, L. Rodríguez Fernández, P. Gorria, J. A. Blanco, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, E. Bauer, G. André, and L. Fernández Barquín; Physical Review B Rapid Communication, 87 180407(R) (2013).
• "Magnetic disorder in diluted FexM100−x granular thin films (M=Au, Ag, Cu; x < 10 at.%)". D. Alba Venero, L. Fernández Barquín, J. Alonso, M. L. Fdez-Gubieda, L. Rodríguez Fernández, R. Boada and J. Chaboy; J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 25 (2013) 276001.