Atomic paramagnetism and diamagnetism, intinerant and local-moment magnetism, Ising and Heisenberg models, the mean-field approximation, spin waves, magnetic phase transition, domains and domain walls, magnetization dynamics from picoseconds to human time scales.
Learning objective
Content
The lecture ''Introduction to Magnetism'' is the regular course on Magnetism for the Master curriculum of the Department of Physics of ETH Zurich. With respect to specialized courses related to Magnetism such as "Quantum Solid State Magnetism" (A. Zheludev and K. Povarov) or "Ferromagnetism: From Thin Films to Spintronics" (R. Allenspach), this lecture focusses on why only few materials are magnetic at finite temperature. We will see that defining what we understand by "being magnetic" in a formal way is essential to address this question properly. Preliminary contents for the HS18: - Magnetism in atoms (quantum-mechanical origin of atomic magnetic moments, intra-atomic exchange interaction) - Magnetism in solids (mechanisms producing inter-atomic exchange interaction in solids, crystal field). - Magnetic order at finite temperatures (Ising and Heisenberg models, mean-field approximation, low-dimensional magnetism) - Dipolar interaction in ferromagnets (shape anisotropy, frustration and modulated phases of magnetic domains) - Spin physics in the time domain (Larmor precession, resonance phenomena, Bloch equation, Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, superparamagnetism)
Lecture notes
Lecture notes and slides are made available during the course, through the Moodle portal.
Prerequisites / Notice
The former title of this course unit was "Fundamental Aspects of Magnetism". This lecture insists on the fundamental aspects -- quantum physics and statistical physics of magnetism. Applications to nanoscale magnetism will be considered from the perspective of basic underlying principles.
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course