Computer code detects ultrathin magnetic materials

• Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore have developed an open-source computer code that can screen and identify two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials from a large database of materials1. This code shuns the need for the complex manual calculations that are usually needed to detect such magnetic materials.
• The code would be useful for hunting down specific ferromagnetic materials that, according to recent studies, might be used to design molecular quantum devices, sensors and ultrathin data-storage devices.
• At low temperatures, two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials exhibit magnetic properties. These materials retain such properties even in the absence of a magnetic field. However, their magnetic properties get disturbed when the temperature increases. The temperature at which such materials lose their magnetic properties is known as the Curie point.
• The Curie point, a critical property for such magnetic materials for practical applications, is difficult to calculate.
• To address this, the scientists designed the fully automated computer code. Using the code, they then scanned 786 materials from a large database. The researchers, led by Santanu Mahapatra, discovered 26 ferromagnetic materials with a Curie point beyond 400 degrees Kelvin.
• Additionally, they identified some important magnetic materials that have so far remained undetected. These materials could be ideal candidates for use in devices that could withstand high temperatures. 
• The team also developed a machine-learning model to predict the Curie temperature of various materials. If trained to screen a large database of ferromagnetic materials, this model would help identify such materials, which could be used to fabricate devices.
• References1. Kabiraj, A. et al. High-throughput discovery of high Curie point two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials. npj Comput. Mater. 6:35 (2020) doi: 10.1038/s41524-020-0300-2, Source: https://www.natureasia.com

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