ABSTRACT

This NIRT proposal focuses on the development of new complex materials for the study of surface and interface magnetism at the nanoscale in spin polarized structures. The nature of magnetism at boundaries of spin polarized materials is a fundamental issue that has yet to be fully understood. Nanoscale control of such boundaries may facilitate the implementation and improve performance of spin polarized devices in memory and logic applications. Thus far spin polarized devices that are based on simple materials systems have been instrumental in providing a basic understanding of this class of devices. In order to develop a full understanding of such structures and to improve device performance, we must study devices based on complex materials in which we can tune several properties at the same time through chemical and structural degrees of freedom.

Our proposed program on magnetic oxide and chalcogenide materials and devices will have significant intellectual impact in the areas of solid state chemistry, materials science as well as device physics and engineering and more specifically magnetism at the boundaries of spin polarized materials. We have assembled a team of five PI's that will provide an integrated approach to understanding magnetism at boundaries: (i) synthesis and development of novel bulk oxide and chalcogenide materials and their thin film counterparts, (ii) fabrication of mesoscale and nanoscale spin polarized device structures, (iii) local electronic and magnetic characterization of the surfaces and interfaces of the spin polarized materials, and (iv) theoretical modeling of spin polarized structures. Our interdisciplinary team, of four experimentalists and a theorist from the fields of materials science and engineering, chemistry and condensed matter physics, is well positioned to study spin transport in devices based on complex materials whose magnetic and electronic properties can be controlled through structure and chemistry.

This multidisciplinary research program includes a strong educational component that will have broad impact on undergraduate, graduate as well as high school students. It not only will introduce students with a variety of backgrounds and interests to the technologically vibrant field of magnetics but also will provide experimental and analytical skills for future careers of the graduate and undergraduate students. Moreover, since we believe that outreach to high school students is an important vehicle for educating and motivating students for future scientific pursuits, we will provide summer internship opportunities and tours in the five research groups as well as develop an engineering module to enhance an existing inquiry-based learning program for high school students.

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