Tailoring epitaxial strain adaption in FeRh films: from nanotwins to magnetic nanostructures

Magnetic nanostructures are of fundamental interest for the modern communication technology. They can be engineered using top-down approaches such as lithographic techniques, or by employing bottom up concepts as 23 in self-assembly systems. In this presentation, it will be shown how an unprecedented strain adaption mechanism in epitaxial FeRh thin films can be tailored such that it allows for the self-organized formation of a magnetic nanostructure. High-resolution electron and X-ray diffraction, as well as spectroscopic and magnetometric methods are employed to unravel the underlying strain adaption mechanisms in the system. (author)