Magnetic control over the inter atomic distance in atomic chains

Typically, in nanoscale spintronics the structure of miniaturized and low-dimensional systems is designed to achieve magnetic functionality. Here, we present an opposite approach, where we use magnetic field to affect the structure of a nanoscale system. Specifically, we find that the interatomic distance in a suspended chain of platinum atoms in a break-junction setup can be modified significantly by the direction and magnitude of an applied magnetic field. This effect leads to variations in the stability of the examined atomic chains and it is amplified in longer chains, in good agreement with theoretical models. Our findings open the door for atomistic understanding of magnetostriction, a central phenomenon with wide implications in science and technology.