Acquisition of a Scanning Hall Probe Microscope for Nanomagnetics Research and Student Training

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This grant supports the acquisition of a Scanning Hall Probe Microscope (SHPM) system, for the quantitative, noninvasive measurement of surface magnetic fields at the nanometer length scale. This recently developed robust instrument is a low temperature/room temperature SHPM that can be operated simultaneously in either the SHPM and STM modes or the SHPM and AFM modes to provide complementary information. This instrument is ideally suited for the study of magnetic nano/micro structures: 1) it can operate in high magnetic fields (easily to above 7 Tesla); 2) it has high field and spatial resolution (about 50 nanometers); 3) it does not require automatically smooth, oxide free surfaces. It will consist of a room temperature head for use with larger samples, a low temperature head with superconducting solenoid for operation in the temperature range 1.5-300 K at fields up to 8 Tesla, and one controller to operate the two heads. The room temperature head will handle much larger samples and can be operated in air or a controlled atmosphere. This configuration is well suited for training personnel in the SHPM techniques. This project will support research on nanomagnets and magnetic nano/microstructures at Texas A&M University including the study of nanomagnets, single magnetic molecules, hybrid magnetic devices and magnetic traps to manipulate biological specimens. There is an active interdisciplinary materials research program at Texas A&M University. Approximately 40 students (undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral) with the principle users will benefit in their research in the design of new Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs), thin films and composite materials of SMM's. In addition to providing new research capability, this instrument serves to train postdoctoral students, graduate students, undergraduate students and high school teachers and their students in the fundamental principles of nanomagnets and scanning probe microscopies. Approximately 20% of the instrument operating time will be dedicated to education and training. Students having access to this instrument will learn about magnetic fields and magnetic nanostructures. The instrument will be integrated into the interdisciplinary materials science graduate laboratory course, and special research projects for undergraduates and gifted high school students. In particular, a large number of University Honors Fellows (advanced undergraduates undertaking an Honors research thesis) and NASA Sharp participants (gifted minority high school students) will benefit from having access to this opportunity over the lifetime of the instrument.