Postdoc in magnonics_Contract 24 months

Internationally recognized generalist engineering school of the IMT (Institut Mines-Télécom), leading French engineering school (Technological University), IMT Atlantique aims to support transitions, train responsible engineers, and use scientific excellence to serve teaching, research, and innovation.

The proposed postdoc is part of the research activities of the Magnonic team within the Microwave department located in the Brest Campus of IMT Atlantique. The scientific activities of this department are related to the propagation of electromagnetic waves, and concern mainly the modelling, design, construction and characterization of high-frequency signal processing devices, as well as original propagation media for their applications in various communications systems.

The emerging field of magnonics focuses on the transport and processing of information by elementary magnetic excitations called spin waves (or their quanta magnons)[1]. The peculiar wave nature of magnon constitutes of formidable ground for novel wave computing methods, such as spin wave logic, holographic memory, and neuromorphic computing, all of which are essentially interference based methods. Along this global effort to explore the interferometric potential of magnons, we offer at IMT Atlantique in Brest a postdoc position starting in the fall 2024 to study the shaping and the manipulation of spin wave beams at the nanoscale. Recent advances inspired from the concepts of optics demonstrated the focusing or diffracting of spin wave beams in continuous film with properly designed microwave antennas[2]. In parallel, unidirectional transmission of micron-size spin waves beam was achieved very recently using the chiral coupling between the uniform resonance of NiFe nanowires and exchange spin waves in a thin YIG film[3]. In this project, we aim at combining both ideas, and explore configurations of magnetic nanostructures coupled to a continuous thin film that can create interference pattern readily adjustable.

MISSIONS

Under the responsibility of Vincent Vlaminck, this project, in collaboration with the SWING consortium (“Spin waves for advanced signal processing”) of PEPR SPIN, will include several missions:

Undertake micromagnetic simulations to identify the most promising nanomagnet assembly geometries, as well as the most suitable excitation geometries.

Develop nanostructured devices using nanofabrication methods.

Undertake measurement campaigns to demonstrate the feasibility of a magnon interferometer.

ACTIVITIES:

• We are looking for candidates with a PhD in Physics, preferably in condensed matter, with a strong background in magnetism, and experimental physics.

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