Design of a Nanomagnet

Abstract

We design a two-dimensional ferromagnet of quantum spheres of radius O(10 nm³) made of nonmagneticintrinsic semiconducting material, each connected to its neighbors by nano-cylinders made of identical material. Ferromagnetism ensues if there is precisely one electron trapped in each sphere; this is a direct consequence of a theorem by Elliott Lieb. We analyze and estimate the important materials parameters. At concentrations of less than 1 electron per sphere, ultimate collapse of the ferromagnetic state should yield a paramagnetic Fermi liquid. We point out the need for additional numerical and physical experimentation.