Project description
Innovative experiments shed light on novel magnetic phenomena
While frustration is a common property of disordered solids, its recent emergence in ordered lattices due to geometric constraints is gaining attention. Antiferromagnetism can provide a simple example of geometric frustration. The magnetic moments of neighbouring atoms in a ferromagnet align along the same directions. Those in magnets displaying antiferromagnetism prefer anti-alignment. This works fine in a rectangular lattice but not in a triangular one. Spin ice systems are magnetic analogue of ordinary water ice, with permanent moments arranged to form a tetragonal lattice. The EU-funded ENFORCE project will explore geometric frustration in colloidal ices to gain insight into properties and processes that will foster the development of exotic new micro and nanoscale devices based on the motion of magnetic charges.
Objective
Geometric frustration, namely the impossibility of satisfying competing interactions on a lattice, has recently
become a topic of considerable interest as it engenders emergent, fundamentally new phenomena and holds
the exciting promise of delivering a new class of nanoscale devices based on the motion of magnetic charges.
With ENFORCE, I propose to realize two and three dimensional artificial colloidal ices and investigate the
fascinating manybody physics of geometric frustration in these mesoscopic structures. I will use these soft
matter systems to engineer novel frustrated states through independent control of the single particle
positions, lattice topology and collective magnetic coupling. The three project work packages (WPs) will
present increasing levels of complexity, challenge and ambition:
(i) In WP1, I will demonstrate a way to restore the residual entropy in the square ice, a fundamental longstanding
problem in the field. Furthermore, I will miniaturize the square and the honeycomb geometries and investigate the dynamics of thermally excited topological defects and the formation of grain boundaries.
(ii) In WP2, I will decimate both lattices and realize mixed coordination geometries, where the similarity
between the colloidal and spin ice systems breaks down. I will then develop a novel annealing protocol based
on the simultaneous system visualization and magnetic actuation control.
(iii) In WP3, I will realize a three dimensional artificial colloidal ice, in which interacting ferromagnetic
inclusions will be located in the voids of an inverse opal, and arranged to form the FCC or the pyrochlore
lattices. External fields will be used to align, bias and stir these magnetic inclusions while monitoring in situ
their orientation and dynamics via laser scanning confocal microscopy.
ENFORCE will exploit the accessible time and length scales of the colloidal ice to shed new light on the
exciting and interdisciplinary field of geometric frustration.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture grains and oilseeds
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics topology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2018-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08007 Barcelona
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.