Physics: Scientists create the world's thinnest magnet that is just one ATOM thick - Daily Mail

Made using a technique that the team say will be easily scalable, it features a single atomic layer of zinc oxide, dotted within which are the occasional cobalt atoms.

The world's thinnest magnet — which is just one atom thick — has been created by scientists and could lead to huge advances in computing and quantum physics.

Pictured: the magnet is made by cooking a solution of cobalt, graphene oxide and zinc — producing layers of cobalt-bearing zinc oxide sandwiched between layers of graphene, as depicted.

The world's thinnest magnet comprises a single atomic layer of zinc oxide dotted within which are the occasional cobalt atoms.

It was produced by baking a solution of cobalt, graphene oxide and zinc in a conventional lab oven for a few hours.

Finally, the graphene is burnt away to expose the single-layer magnet.

The team confirmed that the magnet was just one layer of atoms thick by analysing it with both scanning and transmission electron microscopy.

The team found that the system becomes weakly magnetic with around a 5–6 per cent concentration of cobalt atoms — but a very strong magnet forms at around 12 per cent. .

The difference, he believes, lies in how free electrons from the (nonmagnetic )zinc oxide are able to act as an intermediary, ensuring that the cobalt atoms in the atomic layer point in the right direction — thereby allowing them to stay magnetic.

The world's thinnest magnet comprises a single atomic layer of zinc oxide dotted within which are the occasional cobalt atoms

It was produced by baking a solution of cobalt, graphene oxide and zinc in a conventional lab oven for a few hours

This produced sheets of zinc oxide (shown in yellow and blue, with cobalt in red) sandwiched between layers of graphene

Finally, the graphene is burnt away to expose the single-layer magnet

'In addition to its obvious significance to spintronic devices, this 2D magnet is fascinating at the atomic level, revealing for the first time how cobalt magnetic atoms interact over 'long' distances" through a complex two-dimensional network.'