Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

06:53
Magnetometric Characterization of Intermediates in the Solid-State Electrochemistry of Redox-Active Metal-Organic Frameworks
Published on: June 9, 2023
Itinerant ferromagnetism in the electronic localization limit.
N Kurzweil1, E Kogan, A Frydman
1The Department of Physics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel.
Physical Review Letters
|April 28, 2009
Summary
Ultrathin films of nickel, cobalt, and iron exhibit ferromagnetism only below a critical resistance. Above this threshold, electronic disorder likely suppresses spontaneous magnetism in these materials.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Magnetism
Background:
- Understanding the magnetic properties of ultrathin transition metal films is crucial for developing advanced magnetic devices.
- Ferromagnetism in nanoscale materials can be significantly influenced by film thickness, surface effects, and electronic structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the critical thickness and resistance thresholds for ferromagnetism in ultrathin Ni, Co, and Fe films.
- To explore the relationship between electronic disorder and the suppression of spontaneous magnetism in these films.
Main Methods:
- Hall effect (Rxy(H)) and magnetoresistance (Rxx(H)) measurements were performed on ultrathin films.
- Film thicknesses ranged from 0.2 to 8 nm, with resistances from 1 MΩ to 100 Ω.
Main Results:
- Films with resistance above a critical value (RC) and thickness below a critical value (dC) showed no ferromagnetism.
- Ferromagnetism was observed only in films with resistance below RC, which is material-dependent.
- A correlation between electronic disorder and the absence of ferromagnetism was noted.
Conclusions:
- A critical resistance value (RC) determines the onset of ferromagnetism in ultrathin Ni, Co, and Fe films.
- Electronic disorder in the strong localization regime may suppress itinerant ferromagnetism in these films.
- The findings provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms governing magnetism in nanoscale materials.
Related Concept Videos
Ferromagnetism
Materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt consist of magnetic domains, within which the magnetic dipoles are arranged parallel to each other. The magnetic dipoles are rigidly aligned in the same direction within a domain by quantum mechanical coupling among the atoms. This coupling is so strong that even thermal agitation at room temperature cannot break it. The result is that each domain has a net dipole moment. However, some materials have weaker coupling, and are ferromagnetic at lower...
Diamagnetism
Materials consisting of paired electrons have zero net magnetic moments. However, when these materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Such materials are called diamagnets. Diamagnetism is the response of the diamagnets when placed in an external magnetic field.
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets.
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets.
Fermi Level
The Fermi-Dirac function is represented by an S-shaped curve indicating the probability of an energy state being occupied by an electron at a given temperature. The Fermi level is the energy level at which there is a fifty percent chance of finding an electron, and it is positioned between the lower-energy valence band and the higher-energy conduction band.
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
Paramagnetism
Paramagnets are materials with unpaired electrons that possess a finite magnetic moment. In the absence of a magnetic field, these moments are randomly oriented, and thus the net moment is zero. Under an external field, a torque acting on the moments tends to align them along the field's direction. However, the random thermal motion of electrons produces a torque opposite to the external field and tries to disorient the moments. These two competing effects align only a few moments along the...
Magnetic Fields
A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on any other moving charge or current that is present in the field. Like an electric field, the magnetic field is also a vector field. At any position, the direction of the magnetic field is defined as the direction in which the north pole of a compass needle points.
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability
In linear magnetic materials, like paramagnets and diamagnets, magnetization is proportional to the magnetic field intensity. The constant of proportionality, a dimensionless number, is called magnetic susceptibility. The value of the susceptibility depends on the type of material.
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
