Anisotropic sensor and memory device with a ferromagnetic tunnel barrier as the only magnetic element

Abstract Multiple spin functionalities are probed on Pt/La2Co0.8Mn1.2O6/Nb:SrTiO3, a device composed by a ferromagnetic insulating barrier sandwiched between non-magnetic electrodes. Uniquely, La2Co0.8Mn1.2O6 thin films present strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of magnetocrystalline origin, property of major interest for spintronics. The junction has an estimated spin-filtering efficiency of 99.7% and tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR) values up to 30% at low temperatures. This remarkable angular dependence of the magnetoresistance is associated with the magnetic anisotropy whose origin lies in the large spin-orbit interaction of Co2+ which is additionally tuned by the strain of the crystal lattice. Furthermore, we found that the junction can operate as an electrically readable magnetic memory device. The findings of this work demonstrate that a single ferromagnetic insulating barrier with strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy is sufficient for realizing sensor and memory functionalities in a tunneling device based on TAMR

Radiology in pleural disease: state of the art.

Diseases of the pleura and pleural space are common and present a significant contribution to the workload of the chest radiologist. The radiology department plays a crucial role in the imaging and management of pleural disease. This review aims to describe and illustrate the appearances of common pleural pathologies on various radiological modalities including plain film, ultrasound, CT, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. The review will also address the state-of-the-art techniques used to image pleural disease and discuss image-guided intervention in the management of pleural disease

Nanoscale electrical contacts grown by focused ion beam (FIB)-induced deposition

A detailed description of the use of the focused ion beam (FIB) to grow electrical contacts is presented. The combination of FIB with precursor compounds, which are delivered on the area of interest by means of gas-injection systems, allows the growth of electrical contacts with nanometric resolution on targeted places. The technique has been coined focused ion beam-induced deposition (FIBID). Pros and cons with respect to other existing techniques for contacting are discussed. The FIBID contacts reported in this chapter are based on the use of Pt and W precursors, which result in the growth of deposits with resistivities down to 100 μΩ cm without any post-treatment. A comparison of FIBID with focused electron beam-induced deposition, the sister technique that uses focused electrons instead of ions, is also presented. The steps to follow in order to be successful in the contacting process by means of FIBID are described. Examples of the contacting to individual nanowires and nanoparticles carried out in our laboratory are shown, together with the corresponding four-probe transport measurements. Below 5 K, W deposits are superconducting and can be therefore used for zero-resistance lead contacts, superconductor-based nanocontacts and probing of proximity effects, opening new perspectives as described here.Financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Economy (through project MAT2011-27553-C02, including FEDER funding) and the Aragón Regional Government is acknowledged.Peer reviewe