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Ivan Pinto-Huguet

Publications and source records attributed to Ivan Pinto-Huguet.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Polarization Vortices in a Ferromagnetic Metal via Twistronics

Recent advances in moire engineering provide new pathways for manipulating lattice distortions and electronic properties in low-dimensional materials. Here, we demonstrate that twisted stacking can induce dipolar vortices in metallic SrRuO3 membranes, despite the presence of free charges that would normally screen depolarizing fields and dipole-dipole interactions. These polarization vortices are correlated with moire-periodic flexoelectricity induced by shear strain gradients, and exhibit a pronounced dependence on the twist angle. In addition, multiferroic behavior emerges below the ferromagnetic Curie temperature of the films, whereby polarization and ferromagnetism coexist and compete, showing opposite twist-angle dependencies of their respective magnitudes. Density functional theory calculations provide insights into the microscopic origin of these observations. Our findings extend the scope of polarization topology design beyond dielectric materials and into metals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Mic-hackathon 2024: Hackathon on Machine Learning for Electron and Scanning Probe Microscopy

Microscopy is a primary source of information on materials structure and functionality at nanometer and atomic scales. The data generated is often well-structured, enriched with metadata and sample histories, though not always consistent in detail or format. The adoption of Data Management Plans (DMPs) by major funding agencies promotes preservation and access. However, deriving insights remains difficult due to the lack of standardized code ecosystems, benchmarks, and integration strategies. As a result, data usage is inefficient and analysis time is extensive. In addition to post-acquisition analysis, new APIs from major microscope manufacturers enable real-time, ML-based analytics for automated decision-making and ML-agent-controlled microscope operation. Yet, a gap remains between the ML and microscopy communities, limiting the impact of these methods on physics, materials discovery, and optimization. Hackathons help bridge this divide by fostering collaboration between ML researchers and microscopy experts. They encourage the development of novel solutions that apply ML to microscopy, while preparing a future workforce for instrumentation, materials science, and applied ML. This hackathon produced benchmark datasets and digital twins of microscopes to support community growth and standardized workflows. All related code is available at GitHub: https://github.com/KalininGroup/Mic-hackathon-2024-codes-publication/tree/1.0.0.1

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Workflow for Transmission Electron Microscopy: From Data Analysis Automation to Materials Knowledge Unveiling

(Scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) has significantly advanced materials science but faces challenges in correlating precise atomic structure information with the functional properties of devices due to its time-intensive nature. To address this, we introduce an analytical workflow for the holistic characterization, modelling, and simulation of device heterostructures. This workflow automates the experimental (S)TEM data analysis, providing an in-depth characterization of crystallographic information, 3D orientation, elemental composition, and strain distribution. It reduces a process that typically takes days for a trained human into an automatic routine solved in minutes. Utilizing a physics-guided artificial intelligence model, it generates representative descriptions of materials and samples. The workflow culminates in creating digital twins, 3D finite element and atomic models of millions of atoms, enabling simulations that provide crucial insights into device behaviour in practical applications. Demonstrated with SiGe planar heterostructures for scalable spin qubits, the workflow links digital twins to theoretical properties, revealing how atomic structure impacts materials and functional properties such as spatially-resolved phononic or electronic characteristics, or (inverse) spin orbit lengths. The versatility of our workflow is demonstrated through its application to a wide array of materials systems, device configurations, and sample morphologies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Enhancing atomic-resolution in electron microscopy: A frequency-domain deep learning denoiser

Atomic resolution electron microscopy, particularly high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, has become an essential tool for many scientific fields, when direct visualization of atomic arrangements and defects are needed, as they dictate the material's functional and mechanical behavior. However, achieving this precision is often hindered by noise, arising from electron microscopy acquisition limitations, particularly when imaging beam-sensitive materials or light atoms. In this work, we present a deep learning-based denoising approach that operates in the frequency domain using a convolutional neural network U-Net trained on simulated data. To generate the training dataset, we simulate FFT patterns for various materials, crystallographic orientations, and imaging conditions, introducing noise and drift artifacts to accurately mimic experimental scenarios. The model is trained to identify relevant frequency components, which are then used to enhance experimental images by applying element-wise multiplication in the frequency domain. The model enhances experimental images by identifying and amplifying relevant frequency components, significantly improving signal-to-noise ratio while preserving structural integrity. Applied to both Ge quantum wells and WS2 monolayers, the method facilitates more accurate strain quantitative analyses, critical for assessing functional device performance (e.g. quantum properties in SiGe quantum wells), and enables the clear identification of light atoms in beam sensitive materials. Our results demonstrate the potential of automated frequency-based deep learning denoising as a useful tool for atomic-resolution nano-materials analysis.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Evaluating the local bandgap across InxGa1-xAs multiple quantum wells in a metamorphic laser via low-loss EELS

Using high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy, we correlate the local bandgap (Eg), indium concentration, and strain distribution across multiple InxGa1-xAs quantum wells (QWs), on a GaAs substrate, within a metamorphic laser structure. Our findings reveal significant inhomogeneities, particularly near the interfaces, for both the indium and strain distribution, and subtle variations in the Eg across individual QWs. The interplay between strain, composition, and Eg was further explored by density functional theory simulations, indicating that variations in the Eg are predominantly influenced by the indium concentration, with strain playing a minor role. The observed local inhomogeneities suggest that differences between individual QWs may affect the collective emission and performance of the final device. This study highlights the importance of spatially resolved analysis in understanding and optimising the electronic and optical properties for designing of next-generation metamorphic lasers with multiple QWs as the active region.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗