lecture hall with a lot of students © Jürgen Huhn​/​TU Dortmund
Three Questions to Professor Mirko Cinchetti and Dr. Mattia Benini

Using Molecules to Control Magnetism – In Record Time

-
in
  • Top News
  • Research
Graphic: A graphic in shades of blue and gray shows molecules (C₆₀) excited by ultrashort laser pulses on a cobalt surface. © Brad Baxley​/​Part to Whole
Molecules excited by ultrashort laser pulses (C₆₀) on a cobalt surface enable the control of spin waves in the material.
Three papers published in Science Advances and Nature Communications show how researchers at TU Dortmund University, together with international partners within the EU project INTERFAST, have found completely new ways to detect and manipulate magnetism at the metal-molecule interface and use light to control it. These findings could pave the way for ultrafast, energy-efficient computer technologies. In this interview, Professor Mirko Cinchetti and Dr. Mattia Benini, who contributed to the papers on the part of TU Dortmund University, talk about the results, the project and the advantages of international research collaboration.

You recently published three papers at once in two prestigious journals. What are they about?

We have examined how magnetism can be manipulated at the interface between ultra-thin cobalt and organic molecules. In one study (Science Advances), we discovered a particular, so far undetected magnetic layer at this interface, which we were able to reveal using ultrafast laser pulses. In another study (Nature Communications), we were able to show that molecules transform cobalt’s classic magnetic structure entirely and create a novel “glassy” phase. Finally, we demonstrated (Nature Communications) that targeted optical excitation can alter magnetism at the interface within trillionths of a second.

What was the goal of the EU project INTERFAST, within which you conducted your research?

INTERFAST ran from May 2021 to October 2024. The goal was to create completely new possibilities for controlling magnetism in a fast, targeted and energy-efficient way. The trick was to combine metals with organic molecules and use the special interactions that occur precisely at the interface. In this way, it was possible to alter material properties “at the push of a button”, so to speak, an exciting basis for ultrafast and energy-efficient computer technologies in the future.

You worked together with partners from several countries. What shape did that collaboration take and what were the advantages?

We were an international team with partners throughout Europe, who each contributed their own specific expertise, ranging from the production of materials and state-of-the-art measuring techniques to theoretical modeling. We met regularly online, visited each other’s laboratories and conducted experiments together. The main advantage was that we were able to approach problems from various angles, validate results quickly and utilize equipment that would not have been available in one lab alone.

About the researchers 

Mirko Cinchetti is Professor for Experimental Physics and head of the Cinchetti Group – Excitations in Functional Quantum Materials at TU Dortmund University. In his research, he investigates how light can be used to control fundamental excitations at surfaces and interfaces, such as in quantum materials, in an extremely short time. His main interests are spintronics, ultrafast dynamics and the development of new concepts for future quantum technologies.

Dr. Mattia Benini is a postdoctoral researcher in the Cinchetti Group at TU Dortmund University. His research centers on the time-resolved magneto-optics of hybrid interfaces between metals and molecules. His main interest is the experimental study of ultrafast magnetic processes that enable new approaches for spintronic applications.

Contact for queries:

Back