Course Description:

Recent advances in X-ray, optical, scanning probe, and electron microscopy techniques allow one to characterize and image the static and dynamic magnetic configurations of nanostructures and non-collinear spin systems down to the nanoscale. These pump-probe techniques can explore spin dynamics with high spatial resolution down to sub-ns timescales. The techniques are based on principles such as transmission electron microscopy, x-ray scattering, x-ray, and electron magnetic dichroism, scanning probe microscopy, and inelastic light scattering. They probe different physical quantities and provide complementary information for fundamental research on magnetic materials and their functional properties, e.g., magnetic storage, spintronics, and magnonics. Swiss research groups have contributed to recent technological advancements, and the magnetism research community is continuously growing. Hence, this course provides an overview and specific insight into advanced optical, x-ray, and electron microscopy techniques for the characterization of magnetic properties of materials. The planned course allows Ph.D. students to acquire theoretical knowledge through lectures and get practical insight via live demonstrations performed in different labs on the EPFL campus.

Plan: 3-day block course for Ph.D. students held on Nov. 16th-18th, 2022

(A) 2.5 days - 90 min (including examples and Q&A sessions) lectures from 8 invited experts, 4 external and 4 internal. Online recordings will be provided and accessible in a Moodle, as well as slide handouts and literature references

(B) 0.5-day demonstrations- LTEM (CIME Titan Facility, EPFL), BLS (LMGN, EPFL), and MOKE (LUMES, EPFL)

Agenda

Day 1: (Lectures are 2x45 min plus a 15 min break)

9h30-10h15

Welcome coffee

10h15-12h

Dirk Grundler, Professor, EPFL "Introduction-Materials science of magnetic materials".

12h15-13h15

Lunch served in the meeting room

13h30-15h15

Victor Ukleev, Staff Scientist, BESSY II, Berlin, German "Static and dynamic magnetic imaging using x-ray based techniques".

15h30-17h15

Thomas La Grange, Senior Scientist, EPFL "Lorentz Transmission Electron Microscopy: Theory, Practice, Simulations, and Quantitative Phase reconstruction".

Day 2

8h30-10h15

Fabrizio Carbone, Professor, EPFL "In-situ and Ultrafast Lorentz Transmission Electron Microscopy (LTEM)".

10h30-12h15h

Martino Poggio, Professor Department of Physics, University of Basel "Nanomagnetic studies using scanning probe microscopy techniques".

12h30-13h30

Lunch served in the meeting room

13h45h-15h30

Rafal Dunin-Borkowski: Director of Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Juelich, Germany, "Electron Holography: Theory, Practical Examples from Medium to Atomic resolution".

15h45-18h LTEM demonstration and free discussion

Students are separated into 3 groups for LTEM Demonstration (45 min) at CIME Titan Facility, EPFL (MXC 014). Groups of 7-8 people are formed due to limited space in the microscope room. The remaining time is for free discussion/preparation for the course exam.

Day 3:

10h15-12h

Ping Che, Scientist, Université Paris-Saclay (UMR-137), France "Characterizing magnetic materials using inelastic Brillouin light scattering (BLS) technique".

12h15-13h15

Free lunch

13h30-15h15

Phoebe Tengdin, Scientist, EPFL "Ultrafast Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging Techniques: Magnetic Optical Kerr Effect (MOKE)".

15h30-17h30

Demonstrations 45 min each on BLS (LMGN, EPFL) and MOKE (LUMES, CH H0 604 EPFL)

17h45-18h15 Written Test for Ph.D. students aiming at credits