Acquisition of a Scanning Probe Microscope System for Research and Education in Nanomagnetism and Spinelectronics

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This grant supports the acquisition of a scanning probe microscope (SPM) system for research and education in nano-scale magnetism and spin electronics at the University of Washington. This acquisition will qualitatively and creatively enhance the education and research activities at UW. The new SPM system will enable magnetic force microscopy, high-resolution nanomanipulation and nanolithography and tunneling spectroscopy with high speed, high resolution imaging and metrology features, and will provide the entire range of SPM scanning techniques. In addition, it will include tunneling-AFM and conducting-AFM modes to measure either electrical current (imaging) or current-voltage characteristics (spectroscopy) spatially, as a function of position. Specifically, it will provide significant impetus to recently funded projects on self-assembled nanocrystals arrays, exchange bias in atomically engineered thin film hetero-structures and magnetic oxide semiconductors for silicon-based spintronics. It will also complement efforts in micromagnetic imaging/modeling and support exploratory projects on spin-resolved quantum conductance, controlled domain wall scattering in exchange-spring magnetic thin film structures and soft-lithography nanostructures and hybrid materials. Magnetic materials and devices are central to the technology of information storage and retrieval. It is also believed that in the near future the technology of magnetic data storage will be integrated with that of data processing using silicon based semiconductor devices leading to faster access, lower power consumption, longer life time and more portability. Such "spinelectronics" devices may also lead to new and revolutionary quantum computing strategies. The new SPM system will help to address these related scientific and technological challenges.This instrument will be integrated into the teaching, education and training of graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of magnetism, mesoscale engineering and spinelectronics, and enrolled in the departments of materials science, physics and chemistry as well as the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in nanotechnology at the University of Washington. It will significantly enhance the infrastructure for research and teaching in these areas at UW as well as the training of the next generation of scientists and engineers with expertise in a rapidly developing but critical area of technology. The UW has a wide range of programs to encourage diversity in research and teaching. We will actively work with these organizations and specifically the programs initiated to increase the participation of women and people of diverse backgrounds in science, engineering and mathematics. The new SPM system will be made available to the participants in these programs.