Description du sujet de thèse

The rapid evolution of information technologies, including in particular the increasing use of artificial intelligence, requires the development of new approaches for electronic devices to face the related energy consumption. By way of example, data centers alone could consume 5-10% of the world global energy production. In this context, spintronics and its new subbranch orbitronics could provide disruptive solutions.
In this project, we aim to build on our new results [1,2] to engineer multilayer structure, playing between bulk and interfacial effects in magnetic materials, to optimized the electrical manipulation of their magnetization. To achieve this goal, the PhD student will perform structural and magnetic characterization on amorphous or textured polycrystalline multilayers grow by sputtering. The selected systems at the end of these characterizations will be micro-structured by the student in the IJL clean-room, in order to functionalize them and subsequently measure their electronic transport properties. The Phd student will evaluate the net efficiency of different source of spin and/or orbital currents on the different systems through angular momentum torques measurements. The ultimate goal is to optimized current-induced magnetization dynamics and switching.
[1] D. Céspedes et al. Advanced Materials 33, 2007047 (2021)
[2] A. Anadon et al. arXiv https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.04110

The PhD student will develop skills in structural characterization through the use of X-ray diffraction and Transmission Electronic Microscopy coupled with chemical analysis (EDS and EELS). She/He will learn different microfabrication technics in cleanroom. She/he will acquire strong knowledge in magnetotransport measurements including low frequency (DC) and high frequency (RF) techniques such as second harmonic or spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance. All this investigation will be carried out on state of the art equipment's at Institut Jean Lamour (IJL), located at Nancy, France.
As part of the European project ERC CoG MAGETALLIEN project (ID grant 101086807), the PhD student will have a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific and technological advances in the field of spin-orbitronics. In this context we are seeking for a young, motivated student to take up these challenges.

Expected Skills :
Candidates must hold a Master degree in physics, materials or nanoscience, and have the following knowledges:
- Strong ttheoretical background in physics and more precisely in solid-state physics and in magnetism. Knowledge in spintronics and magnetization dynamic is a plus
- Background in material sciences including thin film deposition and crystallography.
General skills: Programming in Python, Mathematica and/or LabVIEW will be considered as a plus. Good communication skills, scientific curiosity and a taste for experimental work will be highly considerate !
Fluent English or French is mandatory.

Contexte de travail

The successful candidate will work in the SPIN team, https://spin.ijl.cnrs.fr, Institut Jean Lamour, under the supervision of Dr. J. Carlos Rojas-Sánchez, Dr. Sébastien Petit-Watelot and Prof. Michel Hehn.
The Institute Jean Lamour (IJL) is a joint research unit of CNRS and Université de Lorraine.
Focused on materials and processes science and engineering, it covers: materials, metallurgy, plasmas, surfaces, nanomaterials and electronics.
The IJL has 263 permanent staff (30 researchers, 134 teacher-researchers, 99 IT-BIATSS) and 394 non-permanent staff (182 doctoral students, 62 post-doctoral students / contractual researchers and more than 150 trainees), of 45 different nationalities.
Partnerships exist with 150 companies and our research groups collaborate with more than 30 countries throughout the world.
Its exceptional instrumental platforms are spread over 4 sites ; the main one is located on Artem campus in Nancy.
The SPIN research group's subjects range from the development of innovative materials for implementation in spin electronics devices, to the development of magnetic sensors and the fundamental study of physical phenomena related to magnetism.
Nancy is a beautiful French city, with quick access to metropolises such as Paris, France.

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.

Contraintes et risques

No major risk. The selected candidate will have to work in cleanroom environments.