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

该项目开发了新的工具和方法来研究磁性微结构的特性。 从对薄膜和基于薄膜的结构的研究中，出现了广泛的技术使能磁现象。 与工程材料相关的新型磁效应现在为一系列新的磁器件提供了基础，包括磁传感器，这些磁传感器可以提高计算机中的硬盘性能（巨磁阻读取头），并允许开发基于磁性材料的随机存取存储器（MRAM）。 为了优化新型磁性材料的性能，并探索利用新磁现象的新器件架构，需要精确理解和控制磁效应。 从NSF奖中开发的新仪器以及使用它进行的研究将促进我们对磁现象的理解，从而实现新的技术应用。 该研究将研究控制关键磁特性的因素，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结构制造如何影响性能的因素。 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的磁现象的更深入的理解。 该研究将为美国在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，这对美国保持科学和技术的领先地位至关重要。该项目开发了研究磁性微结构特性的新工具和方法。 从对薄膜和基于薄膜的结构的研究中，出现了广泛的技术使能磁现象。 与工程材料相关的新型磁效应现在为一系列新的磁器件提供了基础，包括磁传感器，这些磁传感器可以提高计算机中的硬盘性能（巨磁阻读取头），并允许开发基于磁性材料的随机存取存储器（MRAM）。 为了优化新型磁性材料的性能，并探索利用新磁现象的新器件架构，需要精确理解和控制磁效应。 从NSF奖中开发的新仪器以及使用它进行的研究将促进我们对磁现象的理解，从而实现新的技术应用。 该研究将研究控制关键磁特性的因素，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结构制造如何影响性能的因素。 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的磁现象的更深入的理解。 该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，这对美国保持科学技术领先地位至关重要。

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.