KAIST Researchers Advance Nanoscale Material Control and Magnetism Theory
Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have recently published separate studies detailing advancements in the control of material properties at the nanoscale and new theoretical frameworks for manipulating magnetism.
Integrated AFM Framework for Nanoscale Material Control
A KAIST research team led by Professor Seungbum Hong has published a review outlining systematic strategies for using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study and control ferroelectric materials. The research addresses limitations in observing internal nanoscale changes in these materials, which are critical for next-generation memory and sensor technologies due to their ability to maintain an electrical state without power.
The team proposed an integrated analytical framework that combines multiple AFM techniques. This includes piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) for electrical responses, Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) for surface potential, and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) for current flow. The framework allows for both observation and direct manipulation of materials at the nanoscale by applying electrical stimuli through the AFM probe.
Reported applications of this approach include evaluating next-generation semiconductor materials like two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides and ultrathin hafnium–zirconium oxide-based materials. The team suggested future integration of high-speed AFM with artificial intelligence for rapid interpretation of complex structures.
The study, co-first authored by Yeongyu Kim and Kunwoo Park, was published as a front cover article in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C on February 26. It received support from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
Theoretical Framework for Orbital-Based Magnetism Control
A joint research team from KAIST and Yonsei University has developed a new theoretical method for controlling magnetism using orbital exchange interaction, as an alternative to conventional spin-based methods. The research aims to reduce heat generation and power consumption in electronic devices.
The study demonstrates that flowing electric current can cause the orbital energy of electrons to interact directly with the orbitals of magnetic materials, enabling information transmission. According to the researchers' calculations, this mechanism can alter a magnet's intrinsic properties, such as magnetic anisotropy, and the orbital-based control effects could be stronger than spin-based methods.
The findings suggest potential for orbital-based electronic devices and may also apply to altermagnetic materials, which are considered for high-speed, low-power semiconductor devices. The researchers proposed experimental methods to measure these effects.
The study was published on February 2 in Nature Communications. Dr. Geun-Hee Lee of KAIST was the first author, with Professor Kyoung-Whan Kim of Yonsei University and Professor Kyung-Jin Lee of KAIST as co-corresponding authors. Support was provided by programs of the National Research Foundation of Korea and Samsung Electronics.
New Mechanism for Skyrmion Formation Proposed
A separate KAIST team has proposed a new theoretical framework showing that magnetic skyrmions—vortex-like spin arrangements—can form through fundamental physical interactions common in most magnets, without requiring specific external conditions. Skyrmions are of interest for next-generation ultra-high-density, low-power information devices.
Previously, skyrmion formation was thought to depend on specific conditions like crystal asymmetry. The team, led by Professor Se Kwon Kim, demonstrated that magnetoelastic coupling—the interaction between magnetism and lattice structure—is sufficient to spontaneously generate these structures. When this coupling is strong enough, it can cause a transition from a uniform magnetic state to a vortex-like ordered state.
This research is noted as being particularly relevant for the study of two-dimensional magnetic materials.
The study was published on February 11 in Physical Review Letters, with Gyungchoon Go as the first author. Funding was provided by the Samsung Future Technology Development Program, the Brain Pool Plus Program, and the Sejong Science Fellowship.