Acquisition of Instrumentation Cluster to Establish a Nanomagnetics Characterization Facility

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CTS- 0116498MRI: Acquisition of an Instrumentation Cluster to Establish a Nanomagnetics Characterization FacilityMark T. TuominenUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst$320,000AbstractNew nanofabrication methods are emerging that serve to provide a pathway to single-domain magnetic terabit technology. Such data-storage density is equivalent to storing 25 full-length DVD-quality movies on a disk the size of a quarter. This grant involves the acquisition of an equipment cluster for characterizing the properties of designer nanoscale magnetic materials. This facility will consist of a three instruments: a SQUID-based magnetometer, a high-resolution magnetic force microscope (MFM), and a swept-field NMR probe. These instruments provide complementary experimental information that advances the development of nanomagnetic materials fabricated using self-assembly and chemical techniques. The SQUID magnetometer will be used to obtain magnetization characteristics on arrays of nanoscopic magnetic elements, including hysteresis curves, switching fields, coercivity, saturation magnetization, and remanent magnetization. The MFM will provide local magnetic information on individual nanoscopic elements, heterostructures, and patterned nanomagnetic media. The swept-field NMR probe will developed at UMass and be used to identify different crystalline phases and crystalline orientations of magnetic nanostructures through the swept-field spectrum. These instruments will impact many different research projects and provide an education and training environment for numerous users. The facility will be used to develop techniques to engineer the magnetic properties of terabit arrays of magnetic elements made by oriented diblock copolymer templates. Magnetic behavior will be manipulated through nanowire growth conditions, array scale, and hybrid patterning. These efforts will be augmented by supplemental neutron and x-ray scattering measurements at National Laboratory facilities. The scope of this research is broadened by international, federal, and industrial collaborations. Unique configurations of magneto-transport devices will be developed and investigated using laterally patterned magnetic arrays, magnetic heterostructures, and engineered magnetic nanoparticle assemblies. New synthesis and assembly approaches will be explored in studies of molecular magnetism. Education and training activities include instrumentation training and nanofabrication process training through the use of interactive digital-video.