We have developed a high frequency (50 GHz) probe station that allows continuous tilting of the sample under a 1 T magnetic field. The design was done in collaboration with the Nanoscience Instrument Development Laboratory at ICN. For more information follow the link or click on “Gallery”.

We designed and fabricated a spin ratchet at the single-electron level that produces spin currents with no net bias or charge transport. Our device is based on a single-electron transistor (SET) comprising a superconducting island connected to normal leads via tunnel barriers with different resistances that break spatial symmetry. We quantified the spin ratchet efficiency by using ferromagnetic leads with known spin polarization. For more information follow the link or […]

The observation of the magnon drag ends a 50-year long effort to isolate this thermoelectric effect, which was predicted in analogy with the phonon drag. We used a unique device geometry, which resembles a thermopile, to discriminate the magnon drag from other thermoelectric effects. For more information follow the link or click on “Research”.

We achieved spin injection and detection in freely-suspended graphene using cobalt electrodes and a nonlocal spin-valve geometry. The devices were fabricated with a single electron-beam-resist process to minimize the number of fabrication steps and chemicals, greatly reducing contamination and increasing the yield of high-quality, mechanically stable devices. For more information follow the link or click on “Research”.

The PEND group is equipped with state of the art equipment. They include a dilution refrigerator with 9 T magnet, a low temperature AFM, a high-frequency probe station (50 GHz), an atomic layer deposition reactor (ALD), several cryostats and magnets. For more information, follow the link or click on “Gallery”.

The PEND group moved in July 2012 to a recently inaugurated building. The laboratory of 110 sqm is distributed in four spaces for physical and chemical characterization. The center counts with newly installed central facilities: Asher, AFM, XRD, XPS, TEM, HRSEM, SEM, FIB, ARPES , Wirebonder, HV e-beam evaporators, electron beam lithography, etc.

The Physics and Engineering of Nanodevices group at ICN is led by Prof. Sergio O. Valenzuela.The group develops novel nanodevices to study fundamental properties of materials at the nanoscale.Current research focuses on the electron spin, including spin transport in metals and semiconductors, high-frequency dynamics in magnetic structures, graphene and topological insulators nanoelectronics and methods for spin current generation.