Advanced course in solid state physics. This course aims at giving the students the basic
ingredients to understand the contempory research going on in the field of magnetism and
magnetic nanostrures. Emphasis is laid on research related to activities in Gent.1 Introduction: Modern magnetism: what, why and how
2 Basic concepts of magnetism: magnetic ordering and phase transitions – exchange
interaction – magnetic anisotropies - magnetostatics – magnetic microstructure: domains
and domainwalls – magnetization dynamics: Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation
3 Experimental and computational techniques: Interaction with Light - X-rays – Neutrons,
Micromagnetic simulations
4 Magnetism on the nanoscale: magnetostatics – magnetic inferfaces: exchange bias and
magnetic multilayers - magnetization dynamics: spin wave modes – spin dependent
transport (GMR, TMR) - spin transfer torque.
5 Discussion of research papers
Basic knowledge of quantum mechanics, material science, solid state physics.
Acquiring a fundamental knowledge on magnetism and be able to apply it to the field of nanomagnetism.
Understanding the principles of the experimental and computation mehtods used to study magnetic systems.
Having an overview of the new concepts and challenges in the contemporary magnetism research.
