We are now dedicated to making nano-sized structures (ripples and nanowires) by ion beam bombardment induced self-organization in ferromagnetic metal surfaces, and intend to study the magnetic and electrical magneto-transport properties of such patterns. An example of the process shows in the image at the right side, a nanoscopic observation of the surface in a metallic thin film after 1 keV argon ion bombardment at room temperature. We intend to achieve a deeper understanding of confinement effects in these quasi-1D systems and of the relationship among geometrical and structural characteristics on one side and magnetic and magnetotransport properties on the other side. Further reading on the ion sculpting process: U. Valbusa et al. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 14 (2002) p8153, also see R. Moroni et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 (2003) p167207. On the other hand we are into some technical developments of advanced sputtering sources (see page of Developments)

Physical Vapor Deposition: Very high vacuum chambers with magnetron sputtering guns, Æ3 cm Kaufman ion gun, load lock.

Lithography: UV Mask Aligner, resist spinning, access to microscopes and other processes.

Electrical Magneto-transport (conductance, Hall effect, etc, up to fields of 20kG and down to liquid helium temperatures)

Force and tunnel Microscope (NTI) operating at room temperature and with in-plane magnetic field up to 2 kG

Group of Thin Superconducting Films (UCM), Group of Optical, Magnetic and Transport Properties (ICMM, CSIC)

Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, and Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha