Recent research led by TU Delft, in collaboration with the University of Valencia and the National University of Singapore regarding phase transitions in magnetic nanomaterials was recently published in Nature Communications, introduces an innovative method using ultrathin, suspended membranes; often described as “nanodrums”, to examine the interplay between magnetic and mechanical properties at the nanoscale. The study can be found here:
Šiškins, M., Keşkekler, A., Houmes, M. J. A., Mañas-Valero, S., Koperski, M., Coronado, E., Blanter, Y. M., van der Zant, H. S. J., Steeneken, P. G., & Alijani, F. (2025). Nonlinear dynamics and magneto-elasticity of nanodrums near the phase transition. Nature Communications, 16(1), 2177. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57317-4
Makars Šiškins, Ata Keşkekler, Maurits J. A. Houmes, Samuel Mañas-Valero, Maciej Koperski, Eugenio Coronado, Yaroslav M. Blanter, Herre S. J. van der Zant, Peter G. Steeneken, and Farbod Alijani collaborated on this study. Their expertise leads to advancing our understanding of nonlinear phase transitions in magnetic nanomaterials using innovative nanodrum techniques.
Phase transitions, such as water freezing or boiling, are usually marked by sudden changes in properties at specified temperatures. However, understanding these transitions in nanomaterials has posed significant challenges. In this study, the research team focused on FePS₃, a 2D nanomaterial only a few atoms thick. By applying controlled vibrations to tiny membranes of the material while systematically varying temperature, the researchers were able to reveal the subtle and nonlinear shifts that occur as the material approaches its phase transition.
As explained by Associate Professor Farbod Alijani from TU Delft faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the approach is akin to “drumming” the nanomaterial with a laser. The laser induces vibrations in the membrane, allowing the team to monitor the changes in its mechanical behaviour, which are closely linked to its magnetic properties. Alijani stated:
“Imagine a drum with a magnetic structure, where the laser light acts as the drumstick; continuously making it vibrate while its rhythm subtly shifts with changing temperature,”
He went onto say:
“While warm, this magnetic drum is loose, and its magnetic spins, which are natural turns in particles that make them act like small magnets, are in a disordered phase. But once cold, the drum tightens up, with the spins snapping into an orderly pattern. Now, imagine that while drumming, you slowly change the temperature from warm to cold.
“As you do, you notice not only when the drum starts to feel different but also that this change isn’t smooth (linear)—it unfolds in an intricate and irregular (nonlinear) manner, affecting its mechanical properties.”
The experiment revealed that as the temperature drops to around -160°C mark, the material undergoes a change. Under higher temperature conditions, the magnetic spins remain in a disordered state; as the system cools, the spins align into a more ordered pattern, along with a noticeable shift in the material’s elasticity. Makars Šiškins a post doctoral at the University of Singapore stated:
“We pinpointed the phase transition temperature at around -160°C,”
“Additionally, we found that the changes in the mechanical response driven by the temperature shifts are directly coupled to the material’s magnetic and elastic properties.”
The ability to detect these nonlinear mechanical changes could lead to the development of ultra-sensitive sensors capable of monitoring minute environmental variations or internal stresses in advanced materials.
The team plans to apply this methodology to unveil the secrets of phase transitions in other nanomaterials.
Co-author Herre van der Zant cofounder of the Molecular Electronics and Devices group in the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience at the Delft University of Technology said:
“In our lab, we will investigate whether we can detect so-called spin waves with the nanodrum. You can think of spin waves as carriers of information in a magnetic material, much like electrons are for conductive materials.”
Hassan graduated with a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Chester (UK). He currently works as a design engineering consultant for one of the largest engineering firms in the world along with being an associate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).