Integration of altermagnets in spintronic devices

NanoGUNE is a research center devoted to conducting world-class nanoscience research for the competitive growth of the Basque Country. NanoGUNE is a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA) and is recognized by the Spanish Research Agency as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence. The Nanodevices group, co-led by Prof. Luis E. Hueso and Prof. Fèlix Casanova, is currently composed of 30 members including senior and junior researchers. The group has extensive research facilities for fabrication and characterization of devices and several active research lines spanning from nanofabrication to 2D electronics and spin transport. Altermagnets are redefining the basic classification of magnetic materials and studying them is fundamentally important because they enable new approaches to designing spintronic devices that use spin polarization without producing stray fields, thus merging the benefits of both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems. In addition, altermagnets provide a novel platform for investigating symmetry-protected electronic states, with promising applications in quantum technologies and energy-efficient information processing. The candidate will work on the characterization and integration of altermagnetic materials in spintronic devices, in order to exploit their alternating spin splitting, leading to unique spin transport properties. The research will include the characterization of altermagnetic thin films, their patterning into devices using advanced techniques such as e-beam lithography, and their electrical characterization.