The scope of MIDAS (MagnetIc 3D nAnowire networkS) is the development of resilient materials for Space technology. Space environment is harsh and pushes devices to the limits of radiation tolerance, temperature swifts and mechanical loads. Moreover, electronic devices in payloads and platforms must be lightweight and low volume. We propose to use three-dimensional magnetic nanowire networks (3DNNs) for a highly performance, long-life, and lightweight solution. The MIDAS project will complement experimental research of magnetic 3DNNs with advanced computational approaches with the aim of providing a framework to fully characterize the complex magnetic behavior of these systems for space applications. The project objective has a high level of interdisciplinarity by covering different fields such as nano-physics, chemistry, magnetism, aerospace science and computer science.
The first challenge relates to the fact that the current studies of the magnetic properties of 3DNNs lack the investigation of the following fundamental elements: 1) intrinsic magnetic properties for a range of magnetic materials, e.g. nickel-iron alloys, 2) magnetic response depending on geometrical parameters and 3) ferromagnetic resonance frequency.
The second challenge is related to the understanding of the arising complex panorama of magnetic domain configurations due to the interplay of the intrinsic and geometrical parameters. In a 3DNN, the magnetic response is determined by the competition of long-range magnetostatic, exchange and anisotropic energies, plus geometrical aspects, such as the diameter of the nanowire and the inter-wire distance. This requires the use of advanced computational techniques, such as micromagnetism, to model the magnetic response of experimental 3DNNs.
The third challenge is to determine the degradation of the performance of magnetic 3DNNs under both temperature and radiation conditions in space.
This will be addressed by using experimental techniques replicating these extreme conditions. The overcoming of these three challenges will allow the MIDAS project to develop a sufficiently general understanding and a complex model to investigate the basis of magnetic 3DNNs by: 1) identifying the ideal intrinsic system properties for optimized electromagnetic compatibility, 2) determining the role of geometric configuration, 3) computing the complex spatial magnetization profiles and 4) assess the suitability of magnetic 3DNNs as absorbers of the electromagnetic interference for satellites applications.
