Modern Magnetic and Spintronic Materials : Properties and Applications Magnetic and spintronic materials are ubiquitous in modern technological applications e.g. in electric motors power generators sensors and actuators not to mention information storage and processing. Medical technology has also greatly benefited from magnetic materials – especially magnetic nanoparticles – for therapy and diagnostics methods. All of the above mentioned applications rely on the properties of the materials used. These properties in turn depend on intrinsic and extrinsic material parameters. The former are related to the actual elements used and their properties e.g. atomic magnetic moment and exchange interaction between atoms; the latter are related to the structural and microstructural properties of the materials used e.g. their crystal structure grain size and grain boundary phases. Focusing on state of the art magnetic and spintronic materials this book will introduce readers to a range of related topics in Physics and Materials Science. Phenomena and processes at the nanoscale . Chapter 1: Detection of microwave and terahertz frequency signals in spintronic nanostructures. Chapter 2: Microwave characterization of Y3Fe5O12 ferrite under a dc magnetic field Chapter 3: Nanopatterned thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy – structure and magnetism Chapter 4: L10 ordered thin films for spintronic and permanent magnet applications Chapter 5: Effect of Au layers on A1→L10 phase transition and magnetic properties of FePt thin films Chapter 6: New applications of spin crossover complexes: microwave absorption chirooptical switching and enantioselective detection Chapter 7: Grain boundary diffusion dominated mixing and solid state reactions in magnetic thin films.