The ProxiMity project explores how the fundamental excitations of two-dimensional van der Waals magnets — such as magnons, phonons, and excitons — are influenced and reshaped by proximity to other materials. At such interfaces, new hybrid excitations can emerge, offering fresh insight into the interplay of spin, charge, and lattice degrees of freedom.

We combine time-resolved magneto-optics, time- and angle-resolved photoemission (trARPES), and theoretical modelling to reveal the microscopic mechanisms of proximity-induced phenomena.

By controlling excitations through interfacial design, the project aims to lay the groundwork for novel concepts in quantum materials research and sensing technologies.

Our recent work on Co/C₆₀ interfaces demonstrates that molecular excitations can dynamically control proximity-induced magnetism. By resonantly exciting long-lived excitons in C₆₀, we transiently modify the interfacial hybridization and magnetic anisotropy, producing a remarkable shift of up to 60% in the cobalt ferromagnetic-resonance frequency that persists for hundreds of picoseconds. These findings establish molecular interfaces as a platform for ultrafast optical control of nanoscale magnetic functionalities.