What can change when a magnet is reduced to nanometric dimensions? Much more than its size suggests. From sensors and spintronics to nanomedicine and space technologies, the design of magnetic nanostructures opens up new possibilities for research and application.
CEDENNA researcher and Universidad de Santiago de Chile academic Dr. Juan Escrig spoke about this work as Keynote Speaker at NanoHorizons 2026, an international nanotechnology conference held in Peru and organized by the IEEE Nanotechnology Council Student Chapter of the Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC), with the support of IEEE Region 9 for Latin America and the Caribbean.
At the event, in which he participated virtually, he gave the talk “Nanomagnetism: designing small magnets for future applications”, in which he discussed part of the research carried out at the CEDENNA/USACH Nanomagnetism Laboratory.
One of the central aspects of his presentation was how it is possible to control the magnetic properties of extremely small materials through their design. At the nanoscale, factors such as geometry, composition, surface effects and confinement can modify the behavior of a magnetic structure, opening up the possibility of developing materials with properties tailored to different uses.
The work carried out by Dr. Escrig and his team includes the design, modeling, fabrication and characterization of magnetic nanostructures with complex geometries. The techniques used include atomic layer deposition (ALD), which makes it possible to coat structures with extremely thin layers and control their characteristics at the nanoscale.
This research has potential in areas such as sensors, information storage and processing, spintronics, nanomedicine and technologies designed to operate in demanding conditions, such as space applications.
The CEDENNA researcher’s participation took place in an activity especially aimed at students and young researchers in the region, with the goal of introducing them to current lines of research in nanotechnology and fostering Latin American scientific exchange.
“It will always be a satisfaction to contribute to the training of new generations and continue strengthening scientific collaboration in Latin America,” he said, referring to his participation in NanoHorizons 2026.
August 11, 2026
