We review the current status of the use of focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) for the growth of magnetic nanostructures. This technique relies on the local dissociation of a precursor gas by means of an electron beam. The most promising results have been obtained using the Co ₂ (CO) ₈ precursor, where the Co content in the grown nanodeposited material can be tailored up to more than 95 at.%. Functional behaviour of these Co nanodeposits has been observed in applications such as arrays of magnetic dots for information storage and catalytic growth, magnetic tips for scanning probe microscopes, nano-Hall sensors for bead detection, nano-actuated magnetomechanical systems and nanowires for domain-wall manipulation. The review also covers interesting results observed in Fe-based and alloyed nanodeposits. Advantages and disadvantages of FEBID for the growth of magnetic nanostructures are discussed in the article as well as possible future directions in this field.

The focused ion beam (FIB) is a powerful tool for fabrication, modification, and characterization of materials down to the nanoscale. Starting with the gallium FIB, which was originally intended for photomask repair in the semiconductor industry, there are now many different types of FIB that are commercially available. These instruments use a range of ion species and are applied broadly in materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, and even archaeology. The goal of this roadmap is to provide an overview of FIB instrumentation, theory, techniques, and applications. By viewing FIB developments through the lens of various research communities, we aim to identify future pathways for ion source and instrumentation development, as well as emerging applications and opportunities for improved understanding of the complex interplay of ion–solid interactions. We intend to provide a guide for all scientists in the field that identifies common research interest and will support future fruitful interactions connecting tool development, experiment, and theory. While a comprehensive overview of the field is sought, it is not possible to cover all research related to FIB technologies in detail. We give examples of specific projects within the broader context, referencing original works and previous review articles throughout.

A superconductor in a magnetic field acquires a finite electrical resistance caused by vortex motion. A quest to immobilize vortices and recover zero resistance at high fields made intense studies of vortex pinning one of the mainstreams of superconducting research. Yet, the decades of efforts resulted in a realization that even promising nanostructures, utilizing vortex matching, cannot withstand high vortex density at large magnetic fields. Here, we report a giant reentrance of vortex pinning induced by increasing magnetic field in a W-based nanowire and a TiN-perforated film densely populated with vortices. We find an extended range of zero resistance with vortex motion arrested by self-induced collective traps. The latter emerge due to order parameter suppression by vortices confined in narrow constrictions by surface superconductivity. Our findings show that geometric restrictions can radically change magnetic properties of superconductors and reverse detrimental effects of magnetic field.