Development of a Thin Film Nanomagnetics Characterization Chamber

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The development of a unique facility for the study of the magnetic and tribological properties of thin films will be accomplished with funds from the Academic Research Infrastructure Program. An existing apparatus donated by the IBM Corporation to Rice University already includes scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in a large ultra-high-vacumn chamber. Magnetic studies will be performed with the addition of electron spin polarimeters to perform scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA) and a magneto-optic Kerr effect apparatus (MOKE). The completed system will be uniquely equipped to answer scientific and technological questions because of its ability to: 1) image written magnetic domain structures in magnetic data storage materials, 2) investigate the interaction of written domain walls with microstructural features, 3) image domain walls at surfaces of epitaxial evaporated films, 4) permit fundamental studies of spin polarization at surfaces of epitaxial thin films, 5) characterize the surface chemistry and morphology of tribological surfaces for magnetic disk storage, 6) chemically and physically characterize new tribological materials, 7) sputter deposit and characterize magnetic thin films and multilayers relevant to magnetic storage applications. Starting with an existing ultra-high-vacumn chamber with existing various electron spectroscopies instrumentation will be added to permit magnetic measurements of magnetic thin films and magnetic multilayer systems. The new facility, with a unique combination of experimental capabilities, will be used to study directly the magnetic and tribological properties of magnetic data storage materials and epitaxial magnetic multilayer materials.