SM-MESH - Superconductivity and Magnetism – Material Engineering by Swift Heavy ions

Specific mission

  • Study of the electromagnetic properties of superconductors and magnetic materials and their modulation by means of irradiation with high energy particles. This study is aimed at fundamental research as well as at applications, in the fields of electromagnetic-field detection, spintronics and clean energy.
  • Study, characterization and modelling of superconducting and hybrid ferromagnetic/superconducting devices for applications in spintronics, magnetic shielding and electric power (e.g. magnets).
  • Investigation of radiation damage mechanisms in superconductors, conductors and insulators and determination of their damage threshold for applications in harsh environment. 

Main research Topics

  • Study of the vortex dynamics in unconventional superconductors by means of magnetic, magneto-optical and microwave techniques
  • Modulation of the electromagnetic properties of superconductors, magnetic materials and oxides by means of particle irradiation aiming at the development of devices for electromagnetic signal detections.
  • Analysis of radiation damage mechanisms in superconductors, conductors, oxides and glass-ceramics and evaluation of their radiation damage threshold for applications in radiation harsh environment (e.g. nuclear fusion plants, space)
  • Development of magnets and magnetic shields made of superconducting/ferromagnetic materials
  • Study of the properties of magnetic materials and superconducting/ferromagnetic heterostructures for spintronics applications
  • Study of the electromagnetic properties of magnetic micro- and nano-particles and of composite materials for localized medical therapies and electromagnetic screening
  • Study of fundamental properties of multi-band unconventional superconductors (penetration depth, superfluid density, energy gap, order parameter symmetry) by microwave techniques
  • Development of a scanning near-field microwave microscope for surface impedance mapping

Main partnerships

Gruppo GLANCE (Group: Glasses Ceramics and Composites), DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, Torino

A. Tagliaferro, DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, Torino

M. Zucchetti, L. Savoldi, C. Ragusa, S. Vaschetto, A. Tenconi, DENERG, Politecnico di Torino, Torino

M. Fretto, N. De Leo, A. Manzin, L. Zilberti, V. Basso, E. Monticone – Metrologia dei materiali innovativi e scienze della vita, Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, Torino

M. Truccato (Dipartimento di Fisica), A. Agostino (Dipartimento di Chimica) - Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino

M. Putti - Dipartimento di Fisica dell’Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova

V. Braccini, A. Malagoli, CNR-SPIN (SuPerconductors, oxides and other INnovative materials and devices), Genova

G. Grimaldi, A. Leo CNR-SPIN, Salerno

M. Scuderi, CNR, Catania

E. Silva, N. Pompeo – Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Roma

G. Celentano, A. Vannozzi, V. Pinto, F. Rizzo, A. Masi, A. Pietropaolo, S. Loreti, ENEA Centro Ricerche Frascati, Frascati (Roma)

G. Pepe (Dipartimento di Fisica), - Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli

P. Carretta, G. Prando - Dipartimento di Fisica dell’Università di Pavia, Pavia

S. Lupi – Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma

V. Rigato, C. Pira, M. Campostrini – INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro (Pd)

A. Rovelli – INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania

A. Trotta, E. De Marchi, Eni S.p.A. (Italy)

R. Prozorov, Ames Laboratories, Iowa State University, Ames (USA)

Z. Hartwig, D. Fischer, Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)

M. Eisterer, Technische Universität Wien (Austria)

D. Gambino, Linkoping University (Sweden)

W. Kwok, U. Welp, Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago (U.S.A.)

T. Tamegai, Department of Applied Physics, The University of Tokyo (Japan)

F. Gomory, M. Solovyov Institute of Electrical Engineering, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava (Slovakia)

P. Badica, National Institute of Materials Physics, Magurele (Romania)

J. Noudem, P. Bernstein CRISMAT/LUSAC, Physics Department, Université de Caen (France)

P. Vanderbemdem, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Liège (Belgium)

C. Cabet, G. Gutierrez, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA (France)

J.-G. Caputo, Laboratoire de Mathématiques, INSA de Rouen, Saint-Etienne du Rouvray (France)

J. Albrecht, Aalen University, Aalen (Germania)

Projects and publications

Reference laboratories