Magnetism and Light

⠀⠀⠀⠀Our Magnetism and Light project is a materials discovery initiative aimed at achieving light switchable magnetism and spin control in functional materials.  Switching magnetism and manipulating spins with light remains a considerable challenge that is currently materials limited.  A paradigm shift is needed to achieve useful light-controllable magnetism.  Despite efforts going back nearly 50 years, single-phase materials are unlikely to be the solution.  Rather, heterostructures or complex mesoscale materials offer the best opportunity for achieving new mechanisms for switching magnetism with light and for discovering transformative materials that will enable new technologies. 

Representative Publications 

Interplay between core and shell in a spin transition heterostructure  Wanhong He, John M. Cain, Mark W. Meisel, and Daniel R. Talham  J. Mat. Chem. C 2021, Advance Article  

Stimulus Induced Strain in Spin Transition Heterostructures John M. Cain, Wanhong He, Isabelle Maurin, Mark W. Meisel, and Daniel R. Talham J. Appl. Phys. ­2021, 129, 160903.

Crafting Spin-State Switchable Strain Profiles within Rb_xCo[Fe(CN)₆]_y@K_jNi[Cr(CN)₆]_k Heterostructures John M. Cain, Ashley C. Felts, Mark W. Meisel, and Daniel R. Talham  Chem. Mater. 2021, 33, 246 – 255 

A Light-Switchable Exchange-Coupled Magnet  Divya Rajan, John M. Cain, Tatiana Brinzari, Caue F. Ferreira, Nicholas G. Rudawski, Ashley C. Felts, Mark W. Meisel, Daniel R. Talham  ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 2019, 1, 2471-2475

Control of the Speed of a Light–Induced Spin Transition through Mesoscale Core-Shell Architecture  Ashley C. Felts, Ahmed Slimani, John. M. Cain, Matthew J. Andrus, Akhil R. Ahir, Khalil A. Abboud, Mark W. Meisel, Kamel Boukheddaden, Daniel R. Talham  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 5814-5824.