PhD: Epitaxial growth and nanoscale engineering of 2D easy-plane magnets

In this project, we aim to experimentally investigate 2D materials displaying easy-plane magnetic anisotropy ascribed to the category of 2D-XY magnets [1]. This peculiar magnetic anisotropy leads to the emergence of a rich variety of physical phenomena such as topological spin textures or superfluid spin transport, thus being of fundamental importance. To stabilize the easy-plane anisotropy against the more ubiquitous easy-axis anisotropy, singular structural symmetries from the underlying substrates will be prepared by state-of-the-art surface nanoscale modification methods [2]. 1] Bedoya-Pinto et. al. Intrinsic 2D-XY ferromagnetism in a van der Waals monolayer. Science 374, 616-620 (2021) [2] Höflich, …, Córdoba et. al. Roadmap for Focused Ion beam Technologies, Applied Physics Reviews 10, 041311 (2023)