Microscopy and Magnetism Group

The Microscopy and Magnetism Group has a long experience in synchrotron based experiments in condensed matter physics. In particular we study electronic and magnetic properties of thin films, multilayers, and bulk systems of metals and oxides, 3d- and 4f - electron systems employing X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy. We operate and further develop two beamlines at the SLS the SIM and the X-TREME. At these beamlines we perform our research and provide support for external users with various endstations with capabilities ranging from X-ray scattering and absorption experiments to pump probe techniques using femtosecond lasers to photoemission electron microscopy.
Sketch of reciprocal space showing regions where opposite-handed chiral phonons exist in LiNbO3, which can be probed by circularly polarized x-ray photons in a resonant inelastic x-ray scattering.
•Future Technologies

Chiral phonons in polar LiNbO3

Materials research

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering reveals that lattice vibrations can be chiral in a polar material, with phonons having opposite handedness depending on their direction in momentum space.

Tuning chirality amplitude at ultrafast timescales in chiral CsCuCl3
•Future Technologies

Tuning chirality amplitude at ultrafast timescales in chiral CsCuCl3

Materials research

We quantify “how chiral” a crystal is, and demonstrate its tunability at ultrafast timescales. This achievement does open up a new direction in chirality-related condensed matter physics and on emergent phenomena, which have both attracted significant attention recently.

Two XA spectra recorded with circularly polarized x-rays
•Fundamentals of Nature

Primer on X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

Materials research

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) is a magneto-optical effect that describes the difference in absorption between left and right circularly polarized X-rays by a magnetized material. It has been widely applied to the study of magnetic systems and of magnetic phenomena and its unique capabilities make it a fundamental tool for the study of novel magnetic phenomena and new materials systems.

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