Honorable Mention for Carla Boix Constant in the GENAM 2024 Awards for her Doctoral Thesis at ICMol

The doctoral thesis of Carla Boix Constant, titled "Tuning the Properties of Two-Dimensional Magnetic Heterostructures via Interface Engineering with Molecular and Inorganic van der Waals Crystals", has been awarded an honorable mention in the GENAM Awards for the Best Doctoral Theses presented in 2024, a recognition that highlights outstanding research in the field of nanoscience and advanced materials.

The thesis was defended in September 2024 at the University of Valencia, and was carried out at the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) under the supervision of Prof. Eugenio Coronado (ICMol-UV) and Dr. Samuel Mañas-Valero (TU Delft).

The work focuses on the design and characterization of magnetic van der Waals heterostructures based on two-dimensional (2D) materials - both inorganic and molecular - with the objective of tuning their electronic properties by interface engineering due to proximity effects. The research combines the synthesis of crystals by solid state techniques with the fabrication of nano-devices, characterized by magneto-transport measurements at low temperatures. Among the most notable achievements, the thesis reports for the first time an orthogonally-twisted magnetic bilayer based on monolayer CrSBr twisted 90º, observing a hysteresis opening and a multistep switching in presence of an external magnetic field - not observed in the pristine material [Nat. Mater. 23, 212–218 (2024)].

Carla Boix Constant holds a PhD in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology from the University of Valencia. Her research focuses on the symbiosis between condensed matter physics, crystal growth, and nanofabrication of electronic devices. With a strong background in chemistry, she has gained solid experience in the synthesis of crystalline layered materials and in the study of magnetic systems, ranging from bulk crystals to the 2D limit. Her work explores new synergies in the field of twistronics as well as the integration of stimuli-responsive molecular materials in electronic nano-devices.

This recognition highlights the scientific excellence of the research conducted at ICMol and its contribution to the development of next-generation functional materials.