The ability to understand and control the unique properties of interfaces has created an entirely new field of magnetism which already has a profound impact in technology and is providing the basis for a revolution in electronics. The last decade has seen dramatic progress in the development of magnetic devices for information technology but also in the basic understanding of the physics of magnetic nanostructures. This volume describes thin film magnetic properties and methods for characterising thin film structure topics that underpin the present 'spintronics' revolution in which devices are based on combined magnetic materials and semiconductors. Volume IV deals with the fundamentals of spintronics: magnetoelectronic materials, spin injection and detection, micromagnetics and the development of magnetic random access memory based on GMR and tunnel junction devices. Together these books provide readers with a comprehensive account of an exciting and rapidly developing field. The treatment is designed to be accessible both to newcomers and to experts already working in this field who would like to get a better understanding of this very diversified area of research.

Nanomagnetism: Fundamentals and Applications is a complete guide to the theory and practical applications of magnetism at the nanometer scale. It covers a wide range of potential applications including materials science, medicine, and the environment. A tutorial covers the special magnetic properties of nanoscale systems in various environments, from free clusters to nanostructured materials. Subsequent chapters focus on the current state of research in theory and experiment in specific areas, and also include applications of nanoscale systems to synthesizing high-performance materials and devices. The only book on nanomagnetism to cover such a wide area of applications Includes a tutorial section that covers all the fundamental theory Serves as a comprehensive guide for people entering the field

The ability to understand and control the unique properties of interfaces has created an entirely new field of magnetism which already has a profound impact in technology and is providing the basis for a revolution in electronics. The last decade has seen dramatic progress in the development of magnetic devices for information technology but also in the basic understanding of the physics of magnetic nanostructures. This volume describes thin film magnetic properties and methods for characterising thin film structure topics that underpin the present 'spintronics' revolution in which devices are based on combined magnetic materials and semiconductors. Volume IV deals with the fundamentals of spintronics: magnetoelectronic materials, spin injection and detection, micromagnetics and the development of magnetic random access memory based on GMR and tunnel junction devices. Together these books provide readers with a comprehensive account of an exciting and rapidly developing field. The treatment is designed to be accessible both to newcomers and to experts already working in this field who would like to get a better understanding of this very diversified area of research.

The second edition of this book on nanomagnetism presents the basics and latest studies of low-dimensional magnetic nano-objects. It highlights the intriguing properties of nanomagnetic objects, such as thin films, nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, nanodisks and nanorings as well as novel phenomena like spin currents. It also describes how nanomagnetism was an important factor in the rapid evolution of high-density magnetic recording and is developing into a decisive element of spintronics. Further, it presents a number of biomedical applications. With exercises and solutions, it serves as a graduate textbook.

The ?eld of Nanomagnetism is a young branch of the study of magnetic phenomena, phenomena that have been a source of amazement and stimulus for speculation for more than 3,000 years [1]. Nanomagnetism, despite being a young area, has already affected every sphere of human activity, through its fundamental contribution to make the computer an ubiquitous instrument for communication, control of industrial processes, medical diagnosis, scienti?c investigation, or leisure. The studies of particulate and thin ?lm magnetic media and other related questions led to improvements that have mul- plied, in ?ve decades, the amount of data that can be encoded into a unitary area by some 50 million times. The 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded to Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg, is an important recognition of the extraordinary achievements of the research in Na- magnetism. The unfolding revolution brought about by Spintronics is intimately c- nected, and enhances the relevance of these developments. Nanomagnetism already encompasses a very wide range of remarkable pr- erties and phenomena, as illustrated in the case of thin ?lms, for example, by the volumes of the series on Ultrathin Magnetic Structures [2].