Magnetoelectrics Beyond 2020: A Training Programme on Energy-Efficient Magnetoelectric Nanomaterials for Advanced Information and Healthcare Technologies

Project Information

BeMAGIC

Grant agreement ID: 861145

DOI

10.3030/861145

Project closed

EC signature date 12 August 2019

Start date 1 September 2019

End date 29 February 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 3 954 491,64

EU contribution

€ 3 954 491,64

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BeMAGIC (Magnetoelectrics Beyond 2020: A Training Programme on Energy-Efficient Magnetoelectric Nanomaterials for Advanced Information and Healthcare Technologies)

Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2024-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

BeMAGIC is a joint academic-industrial inter-disciplinary initiative which has the primary goal of training 15 young researchers in the utilization of magnetoelectric (ME) nanomaterials to face important challenges in strategic sectors of modern society: information technologies and health. BeMAGIC brings together a balanced combination of Research Teams and Private Companies from different disciplines (i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering and Biotechnology) to ensure the success of the Training activities.

BeMAGIC encompasses the following technological domains and specific applications, in which the combined action of electric and magnetic fields can lead to huge advances in the short/medium-term future:
• Information technologies: magnetic storage, spintronic devices, magnonics.
• Healthcare technologies: wireless, electric-field assisted biomedical therapies.

The main objectives of the BeMAGIC project are: (i) to design/screen suitable ME materials using first-principles calculations, (ii) to optimize the synthesis/growth conditions for the various types of investigated ME nanomaterials, (iii) to correlate the ME response with the microstructure/composition of the target materials, (iv) to develop new classes of energy-efficient spintronic/magnonic devices using ME nanomaterials, (v) to implement anti-hacking data systems using multiferroics and magneto-ionic effects, ant (vi) to investigate new biomedical therapies based on ME stimulation.

The project has delivered a wide range of ME materials, from nanoparticles to complex multilayered thin films and nanocomposite heterostructures, which have led to significantly enhanced properties compared to the state of the art, and new applications of magneto-electricity in energy-efficient magnetic storage systems, spin-wave devices, neuromorphic computing, magnetoelectric drug delivery, etc.). These results have constituted the work of several PhD Theses, and have been presented in prestigious international conferences on magnetism, such as MMM or Intermag. The quantity and quality of the publications resulting from BeMAGIC studies constitute a clear evidence of the impact of the project in the scientific community.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

BeMAGIC has successfully achieved all the training objectives and scientific objectives. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the first period of the project, the 15 ESRs (Early Stage Researchers) were recruited, trained and they successfully implemented their research projects as initially foreseen. All the milestones have been accomplished, the deliverables have been prepared and submitted and the 9 network events have been successfully organized. Besides the theoretical, experimental, and soft skills training provided in the BeMAGIC workshops, the ESRs were enrolled in the PhD programmes of the host institutions, they were supervised and trained by the researchers-in-charge of the Beneficiary partners and they were seconded by other network institutions. Most of the ESRs have already successfully defended their PhD thesis and the others are expected to defend it soon.

Remarkably, all the scientific objectives of the project have also been successfully accomplished. These include samples’ fabrication (thin films, nanoparticles and heterostructures) and the basic structural and magnetic characterization, aiming at subsequent applications in the information technology and biomedicine fields. Particularly interesting is the utilization of magneto-ionic materials in neuromorphic computing, an area of application that is growing fast and was not envisaged in the original work plan of the BeMAGIC proposal.

The research ouput obtained by the network members have been disseminated through the publication of 23 articles in high impact peer-reviewed journals, and 13 articles more are in a very advanced stage of preparation. In addition, the research results have been presented by the ESRs in national and international conferences (22 poster presentations and 21 oral talks). The most relevant achievements and news concerning the action have also been communicated to the general public through outreach activities (21 outreach events, 3 articles in newspapers and 2 radio interviews), and the BeMAGIC communication channels: website (https://bemagic-etn.eu/) Facebook (https://www.Facebook.com/BeMAGIC.ITN) Twitter (@BEMAGIC5), LinkedIN (https://www.linkedin.com/company/bemagic/) and YouTube channel (BeMAGIC ITN - YouTube).

The exploitation of the research outcomes has been mainly focused on the knowledge transfer from the academic institutions to the industrial partners to facilitate the implementation of the new technologies developed. This was achieved through a very close collaboration between research teams and the fruitful exchange of information, materials and knowledge enhanced by the network events and the secondments of the ESRs. At present, 10 patentable topics have been identified and some are under consideration to start the patent application after the end of the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The field of magnetoelectric (ME) materials applied to Information and healthcare technologies is rather new and has not sufficiently reached university syllabuses. There are several scientific and technological challenges to be faced, which BeMAGIC seeks to overcome:
• New materials, synthetic methods and instrumentation: while some Partners have deep expertise on the synthesis of ME, some of the companies will provide the tools for new instrumental development.
• Novel mechanisms to induce ME effects : BeMAGIC offers a Research Programme in which several ME mechanisms ((strain-mediated, charge accumulation, magneto-ionic, etc.) will be jointly investigated in order to disentangle mixed contributions and give response to technological demands in a convenient manner.

BeMAGIC aims to exploit these new applications of ME materials in very innovative areas, such as wireless deep neural stimulation, cell electrofusion, energy-efficient spintronic systems, neuromorphic computing, data hiding, or magnonics. The multidisciplinary approach of the project, which combines fundamental research with relevant applications to the market, is intended to promote market exploitation of the research outcome. By working together, universities, research institutes and companies, solutions to tackle the global energy-consumption challenge in electronics and the von Neumann bottleneck in current computing devices, as well as the use of non-invasive cell stimulation and drug delivery fields, are emerging, thus expanding the market areas of BeMAGIC companies (and others in the sector) for the benefit of society and economy. This is increasing Europe's attractiveness as a leading research/innovation opportunity for talented researchers within Europe and from abroad, which is improving the development and consolidation of the ERA (European Research Area). The outreach activities of the network and the communication channels of the action are already playing an important role to increase the knowledge and the attraction of the ME research field for the society.

Magnetoelectric actuation mechanisms that are studied in BeMAGIC

Territorial distribution of the BeMAGIC Consortium

BeMAGIC management flow chart

Training objectives in BeMAGIC