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Advanced Seminar SS 2018

"Spin-related Phenomena in Solids"

Mo. 14:00-15:00 h in the Seminar Room 202 of the II. Physikalisches Institut, University of Cologne.

The electron spin is not only the source of magnetic exchange and magnetic order in solids, it also influences a plethora of other    condensed matter properties. In this advanced seminar we want to discuss a variety of spin-related phenomena which are currently in the focuse of modern condensed matter research. One aspect is the influence of spin-orbit coupling which couples the spin orientation of the electron to its orbital motion. In free atoms, this coupling causes the fine-structure splitting of the spectral lines and also determines the ground state term of a partially filled shell via the third Hund's rule. In solids, this "atomic effect" competes with the crystal electric field and/or the band formation. This may cause so-called topological insulators, which are insulating in the bulk but host metallic surface states, or so-called spin-liquid behaviour that is characterized by highly entangled groundstates with coontinuous excitation spectra. Magnetic frustration, that is the competition between different types of magnetic exchange couplings, can also induce spin-liquid behavior, in particular, when quantum fluctuations are enhanced as it is the case in 1- or 2-dimensional magnetic systems with small spin quantum numbers. For larger spins in 3-dimensional systems, magnetic frustration may cause long-range magnetic order with complexe spin structures that simultaneously break time and inversion symmetry. Such so-called multiferroic systems with coexisting magnetic and ferroelectric order are of strong potential interest for new types of data storage devices.

Within the seminar several spin-depentdent phenomena shall be introduced and discussed by the students. The seminar talks shall focus on the presentation of the experimental signatures of these phenomena in different materials. In addition, the experimental techniques used for their observation and an overview about the underlying theoretical concepts should be given.

Talks

DateTitleTutorSpeaker
4.6.Spin plasmons in topological insulatorsM. GrüningerL. KlaasOpens external link in new windowpdf
11.6.Devices to address topological superconductivityY. AndoMengmeng BaiOpens external link in new windowpdf
18.6.Magnetic monopoles in spin iceJ. Hemberger

T. Leich

Opens external link in new windowpdf
25.6.Kitaev spin liquidsP. van LoosdrechtJ. Wagner

 Opens external link in new windowpdf

2.7.

Complex spin textures at surfaces and their application for novel memory devices

T. Michely

J. Fischer

R. BernhardOpens external link in new windowpdf
9.7.Spin‐state transitions in cobaltatesT. LorenzC. SpeckmannOpens external link in new windowpdf
16.7.Anomalous Hall effect in ferromagnetic oxide heterostructuresI. Lindfors-VrejoiuL. WysockiOpens external link in new windowpdf