The strange magnetism of oxides and carbons

Magnetism is not usually expected in simple sp oxides like MgO or in carbons like graphite. Yet basic intrinsic defects in these systems can be magnetic in ways that seem to be shared by more complex oxides. A second puzzle comes from reports of possible room temperature ferromagnetism in simple oxides, where experiments are not always in agreement. This paper discusses what determines whether point defects like cation vacancies in oxides have magnetic or non-magnetic ground states. It also discusses the possible connections between point defect ground states and oxide ferromagnetism. The connectivity issue raises questions about possible diffuse states in nanocrystalline oxides, several possibilities being outlined. These ideas raise the further possibility that the magnetism might be written in these oxides at the nanoscale, perhaps using atomic force microscopy.