Development of Instrumentation for Teaching and Research on Thin Magnetic Film Microstructure Switching Dynamics

本项目开发新的工具和方法来研究磁性微结构的性质。从薄膜和薄膜基结构的研究中出现了广泛的技术支持磁现象。与工程材料相关的新型磁效应现在为广泛的新型磁性设备提供了基础，包括提高计算机硬盘性能的磁传感器（巨磁阻读头），并允许开发基于磁性材料的随机存取存储器（MRAM）。为了优化新磁性材料的性能和探索利用新磁现象的新器件结构，需要精确理解和控制磁效应。由NSF奖开发的新仪器和使用它进行的研究将促进我们对磁现象的理解，从而实现新技术的应用。该研究将研究控制关键磁性质的因素，如磁开关阈值，信息存储和检索的速度，以及控制磁性材料生长和微观结构制造如何影响磁性质的因素。这项研究可能会导致新的磁效应的发现，以及对已经发现的新磁现象的更深入的理解。这项研究将为凝聚态物理和材料技术等重要领域的研究生提供严格的培训，这些领域对美国保持科学技术的领先地位至关重要。本项目开发新的工具和方法来研究磁性微结构的性质。从薄膜和薄膜基结构的研究中出现了广泛的技术支持磁现象。与工程材料相关的新型磁效应现在为广泛的新型磁性设备提供了基础，包括提高计算机硬盘性能的磁传感器（巨磁阻读头），并允许开发基于磁性材料的随机存取存储器（MRAM）。为了优化新磁性材料的性能和探索利用新磁现象的新器件结构，需要精确理解和控制磁效应。由NSF奖开发的新仪器和使用它进行的研究将促进我们对磁现象的理解，从而实现新技术的应用。该研究将研究控制关键磁性质的因素，如磁开关阈值，信息存储和检索的速度，以及控制磁性材料生长和微观结构制造如何影响磁性质的因素。这项研究可能会导致新的磁效应的发现，以及对已经发现的新磁现象的更深入的理解。这项研究将为凝聚态物理和材料技术等重要领域的研究生提供严格的培训，这些领域对美国保持科学技术的领先地位至关重要。

This project develops new tools and methodology to study properties of magnetic microstructures. A broad range of technology-enabling magnetic phenomena is emerging from research on thin films and thin-film based structures. The novel magnetic effects associated with engineered materials now provide the basis for a broad range of new magnetic devices including magnetic sensors that improve hard-disk performance in computers (giant-magnetoresistance read heads) and permit magnetic-materials-based random access memory (MRAM) to be developed. In order to optimize the performance of the new magnetic materials and explore new device architecture that exploits the new magnetic phenomena, precise understanding and control of the magnetic effects are required. The new instrumentation to be developed from this NSF award and the research to be carried out using it will advance our understanding of magnetic phenomena that enables new technological applications. The research will study factors that govern critical magnetic properties such as magnetic switching thresholds, the speed at which information can be stored and retrieved, and factors that govern how magnetic materials growth and microstructure fabrication affect the properties. The research is likely to result in discovery of new magnetic effects as well as deeper understanding of novel magnetic phenomena that have already been discovered. The research will provide rigorous training for graduate students in the important fields of condensed matter physics and materials technology that is essential for the United States to maintain a leading position in science and technology.This project develops new tools and methodology to study properties of magnetic microstructures. A broad range of technology-enabling magnetic phenomena is emerging from research on thin films and thin-film based structures. The novel magnetic effects associated with engineered materials now provide the basis for a broad range of new magnetic devices including magnetic sensors that improve hard-disk performance in computers (giant-magnetoresistance read heads) and permit magnetic-materials-based random access memory (MRAM) to be developed. In order to optimize the performance of the new magnetic materials and explore new device architecture that exploits the new magnetic phenomena, precise understanding and control of the magnetic effects are required. The new instrumentation to be developed from this NSF award and the research to be carried out using it will advance our understanding of magnetic phenomena that enables new technological applications. The research will study factors that govern critical magnetic properties such as magnetic switching thresholds, the speed at which information can be stored and retrieved, and factors that govern how magnetic materials growth and microstructure fabrication affect the properties. The research is likely to result in discovery of new magnetic effects as well as deeper understanding of novel magnetic phenomena that have already been discovered. The research will provide rigorous training for graduate students in the important fields of condensed matter physics and materials technology that is essential for the United States to maintain a leading position in science and technology.