Experimental Solid State Physics, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden, and TU Dresden

The unique physical properties of nanomaterials, i.e. materials with very small dimensions of one to 100 nanometres (a nanometre is one millionth of a millimetre), have been opening up new possibilities in technology and science for years. Within microscopically small solid-state structures, nanometre-scale areas can be distinguished that have vastly differing magnetic properties. Physicist Claire Donnelly aims to find out more about these magnetic nano ranges. 

Her research has already made it possible to investigate and spatially visualise the magnetic properties of tiny three-dimensional solid-state systems with an accuracy of a few tens of nanometres – and with a temporal resolution in the picosecond range, i.e. a trillionth of a second. In her current studies she is also focussing on the targeted production of nanomaterials with specific magnetic properties.