Lab News & Scientific Highlights

Researchers from an international collaboration between the United States of America and Switzerland have performed three-dimensional magnetic imaging of a magnetic skyrmion using soft X-ray laminography. This allowed for the investigation, in three dimensions, of the topological profile of the magnetic skyrmions.

In our recent paper we examined YNiO₃ and proved that the RNiO₃ type material known for its metal-insulator transition is in fact a type II multiferroic. We provide direct evidence of an electric-field-driven switch of the noncolliear magnetic state finally confirming the proposed type II multiferroic nature of YNiO₃.

PSI Researcher used inelastic neutron scattering to show how collective lattice vibrations can be controlled by electric fields. These results indicate that different eigenmodes can couple in field in this incipient ferroelectric.

Researchers from the University of Oxford have imaged, through the use of the soft X-ray microscopy capabilities at the Swiss Light Source, spatially reconfigurable antiferromagnetic states in topologically rich free-standing nanomembranes

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction sheds  light on laser-induced local recrystallization .

Strontium titanate is a wide band gap semiconductor. Its surface can be rendered conductive by a mild annealing in vacuum. The present study reveals that by deposition of less than a monolayer of non-volatile organic molecules such as tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) this conductivity can be completely turned off. In view of the small size of TCNQ (ca. 1 nm) this could allow new pathways toward oxide-based electronics.

In-situ Selective Laser Heat treatment is applied to induce martensite decomposition in Ti-6Al-4V

Crystal field rules heavy fermion delocalization

“Li-rich Ni-rich” core-shell particles are engineered as layered cathode materials for high energy Li-Ion batteries, including a controllable outer "Li-rich Mn-rich" shell improving cyclability.

X-rays reveal a non-collinear magnetic state as the base for all-optical magnetization switching.

Using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology, we devise special processing strategies to ‘program’ the thermal stability of the as-printed alloy, such that it is possible to decide, a priori, how the material’s microstructure will evolve upon heat treatment

Dr. Tim A. Butcher from the Microspectroscopy group was awarded the first prize in the "Art in Magnetism" competition of the JEMS 2023 conference with his contribution "Biffo", obtained from a ptychography image of a BiFeO3 nanoplate.

Gas attenuators are important devices providing accurate variation of photon intensity for soft X-ray beamlines. In the SwissFEL ATHOS beamline front-end the space is very limited and an innovative approach has been taken to provide attenuation of three orders of magnitude up to an energy of 1200 eV. Additive manufacturing of a differential pumping system vacuum manifold allowed a triple pumping stage to be realized in a space of less than half a meter. Measurements have shown that the response of the device is as expected from theoretical calculations.

Operando X-ray diffraction was used to measure process zone temperatures in laser powder bed fusion and compared with finite element simulations.

3d transition metals often exhibit a quenched orbital moment when in a solid state system. Therefore, the proposition of a large unquenched orbital moment for V in VI₃ caused some surprise and discussion in the scientific community. Experimental and theoretical works diverge on the fact of whether the orbital moment is quenched or not. In our work we have been able to give an answer this open issue, proposing also a model for the ground state of VI₃.

The thermal conditions during laser-based additive manufacturing are inferred from high-speed X-ray diffraction data and can be linked to a model for rapid solidification.

Rare ferrimagnet states in a phase competing antiferromagnet.

High-speed in situ X-ray diffraction is used to measure temperature profiles and cooling rates during 3D printing of a a Ti-6Al-4V single-track wall.