Department of Applied Physics

Nanomagnetism and Spintronics (NanoSpin)

Our research focuses on experimental studies of magnetic, magneto-optical, and spin-transport phenomena in new functional materials and hybrid nanoscale structures.
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We work on nanoscale phenomena and materials for future memory and unconventional computing technologies. We are interested in approaches that can be disruptive to the field. We study new control mechanisms of magnetism involving low-power voltages and ultrafast laser pulses. We work on low-loss hybrid magnonics, coupling of magnons to phonons, photons, and plasmons, reconfigurable magnonic neural networks, active control of magnetic skyrmions, and emerging phenomena in artificial spin ice. For smart in-sensor computing, we develop multisensory interconnected networks that can process multimodal information using photomemristor networks with build-in memory.

We are a multidisciplinary and experimental research group. Our laboratory houses dedicated equipment for material growth, lithography, and structural, magnetic, and electronic transport characterization. We operate pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering systems for high-quality film growth, use super-Nyquist sampling magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy and broadband spin-wave spectroscopy for spin-wave characterization, measure magnetoplasmonic properties using a femtosecond-laser setup and magneto-optical spectrometry, and analyze magnetic properties by various microscopy and magnetometry techniques.

We collaborate internationally on electric-field control of magnetism through two Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks, BeMAGIC and MagnEFi. Additionally, we co-ordinate a EU Research and Innovation Action on magnonic neural networks (MANNGA) and are participating in a Future Makers project, focusing on optical control of spin waves for low-power computing.

NanoSpin group photo 2025

NanoSpin group

Magnonics1

Magnonics

We study spin waves in YIG-based magnonic structures and work on wave-based neural networks.

Department of Applied Physics
E-field1

Voltage Control of Magnetism

We control magnetism by voltage using strain transfer in multiferroic structures and ion migration in metal/oxide bilayers.

Department of Applied Physics
Skyrmions1

Magnetic Skyrmions

We investigate the formation, annihilation, switching, and motion of magnetic skyrmions and skyrmion lattices.

Department of Applied Physics
Magnetoplasmonics

Magnetoplasmonics

We use plasmonics to tailor magneto-optical responses, study nanolasing, and control all-optical magnetic switching.

Department of Applied Physics
Spin-ice1

Artificial Spin Ice

Utilizing frustration by design, we explore the real-time dynamics of magnetic excitations in artificial spin ice and spin glass systems.

Department of Applied Physics
Multisensory Interconnected Network

Multisensory Interconnected Networks

We explore materials and concepts for neuromorphic computing and smart sensing technology.

Department of Applied Physics

Future Makers project: Optical control of spin waves for low-power computing

Magnonic logic gate controlled by optical pulses

Future Makers project: Optical control of spin waves for low-power computing

We investigate energy-efficient computing using optically controlled spin waves

Department of Applied Physics

Latest publications

Reservoir computing in a lithium-based magneto-ionic device

Sreeveni Das, Rhodri Mansell, Aarne Piha, Lukáš Flajšman, Maria Andromachi Syskaki, Jürgen Langer, Sebastiaan Van Dijken 2026 Journal of Applied Physics

Bismuth-substituted lutetium iron garnet films with giant visible-range magneto-optical sensitivity

Megan H. Dransfield, Lukáš Flajšman, Matthijs H.J. De Jong, Lars Peeters, Rhodri Mansell, Sebastiaan Van Dijken, Laure Mercier de Lépinay 2026 Applied Physics Letters

Magnetic and structural properties of epitaxial Er-substituted yttrium iron garnet films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Lukáš Flajšman, Lars Peeters, Armi Kosunen, Lide Yao, Ionela Lindfors-Vrejoiu, Sebastiaan Van Dijken 2026 Physical Review Materials

Magnonic delay lines for time-domain reservoir computing and recurrent neural networks

Ruben Leenders, Hongwei Tan, Anton Lutsenko, Frank Heyroth, Kevin G. Fripp, Andrey V. Shytov, Georg Schmidt, Carsten Dubs, Sebastiaan van Dijken, Volodymyr V. Kruglyak 2026 2026 IEEE International Magnetic Conference - Short Papers, INTERMAG Short Papers 2026 - Proceedings

NAND gates based on nonlinear magnonic resonators

Ruben Leenders, Hongwei Tan, Anton Lutsenko, Kevin G. Fripp, Andrey V. Shytov, Carsten Dubs, Sebastiaan van Dijken, Volodymyr V. Kruglyak 2026 2026 IEEE International Magnetic Conference - Short Papers, INTERMAG Short Papers 2026 - Proceedings

Nonlinear dynamics in magnonic Fabry-Perot resonators: Low-power neuron-like activation and transmission suppression

Anton Lutsenko, Kevin G. Fripp, Lukas Flajsman, Andrey V. Shytov, Volodymyr V. Kruglyak, Sebastiaan van Dijken 2026 Applied Physics Letters

Bioinspired Sensory Transduction for Magnetic Profile Recognition and Encryption

Ziyue Miao, Xichen Hu, Kai Liu, Shanming Hu, Guihua Yan, Hongwei Tan, Olli Ikkala, Zhong Peng Lv, Bo Peng 2026 Advanced Materials

Coexistence of relaxor ferroelectricity and magnetism in hexagonal high-entropy manganite thin films

Duncan Miertschin, Sundar Kunwar, Balaram Regmi, Poshan Kandel, Peter Bencok, Zheng Gai, Luis M. Martinez, Prashant Padmanabhan, Lide Yao, Yu Wei Chen, Yen Lin Huang, Sebastiaan van Dijken, Alessandro R. Mazza, Nick A. Shepelin, Alan Farhan 2026 Journal of Materials Chemistry C

Long-range magnetic order and relaxor ferroelectricity in a hexagonal high-entropy ferrite

Duncan Miertschin, Sundar Kunwar, Balaram Regmi, Poshan Kandel, Sanjib Thapa, Davis Crater, Luca Basso, Adam Dodson, Zheng Gai, Lide Yao, Yu Wei Chen, Peter Bencok, Armin Kleibert, Yen Lin Huang, Andy Mounce, Paul G. Kotula, Sebastiaan van Dijken, Alessandro R. Mazza, Thomas Z. Ward, Nick Shepelin, Alan Farhan 2026 Cell Reports Physical Science

Realization of the tellegen effect in resonant optical metasurfaces

Shadi Safaei Jazi, Ihar Faniayeu, Rafael Cichelero, Nikolai Kuznetsov, Sebastiaan van Dijken, Shanhui Fan, Alexandre Dmitriev, Viktar Asadchy 2026 eLight
More information on our research in the Aalto research portal.
Research portal
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