CAREER: A Search for the Optimal Material for Spintronic Device Applications: From University to Primary School Classrooms

职业：寻找自旋电子器件应用的最佳材料：从大学到小学课堂

• 批准号: 0548011
• 负责人: Juana Moreno
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: University of North Dakota Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-07-15 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0548011&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Search; Optimal; Material; Spintronic

This CAREER award combines theoretical and computational methods with the ultimate goal of guiding experimental efforts in the search for optimal materials for spintronic device applications. Controlling the properties of magnetic semiconductor nanostructures involves many parameters that are difficult to address experimentally. Often it is faster and cheaper to test new ideas with computer simulations prior to addressing them in the laboratory. This work will focus on developing areliable theory of magnetic semiconducting heterostructures and quantum dots. It will use the Dynamical Mean Field Approximation (DMFA) and its cluster generalization to study the magnetic and transport properties of three systems: dilute magnetic semiconductors, such as Ga1-x Mnx As, quantum dots of dilute magnetic semiconductors and thin films of magnetic organic semiconductors, in particular metalloporphyrins. Our theory will incorporate the different competing interactions present in these systems within a unified self-consistent approach. These three systems become prototypes where we test the validity of our approach.This research will be combined with an educational/outreach program in nanoscience. At the university level a new undergraduate course, Introduction to Nanoscience, will focus on nanoscience and nanotechnology. In order to bring the nano-world to our children I am planning to develop an inquiry, activity-based program on nanoscience and a workshop for the professional development of teachers in grades 6-12. I will develop and test modules on nanoscience and nanotechnology in the style of Physics by Inquiry by Lillian C. McDermot and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington.Intellectual Merit: A reliable theory of magnetic semiconductors is crucial for progress towards spintronic device applications. Several families of materials are currently under active scrutiny due to their promising characteristics. Although these materials are very different from one another, they display common characteristics, such as the presence of several competing interactions and short-range correlations, significant excitonic and polaronic effects and strong confinement effects. Our theory will properly account for these effects, and be able to make predictions that are material specific. This research will broaden our fundamental understanding and the potential applications of magnetic semiconductors in spintronic devices, quantum computation and quantum informationsystems. New methods and algorithms will be developed; they will be relevant in the modeling of other strongly correlated systems.Broader Impact: One of the grand challenges for nanotechnology is education. In 10 to 15 years, we may have the necessary research results for new technology without having the skilled workers to take advantage of them. The main objective of our outreach efforts will be to increase student interest and achievement in science, and encourage high school students to consider careers in nanoscience. Children in our region have few avenues available to grasp the world of opportunities provided by the nanotechnology revolution. Our efforts will help bring nanoscience to the general public though workshops for elementary and high school teachers. In addition, the training of undergraduate and graduate students in high-performance computing is crucial to foster the technology-based economic development within the Red River Valley ResearchCorridor. This research fits perfectly within the University and State focused research areas; high performance computing is a priority of the strategic plan of the University of North Dakota, and spintronics research is one of the four Statewide Research Initiatives of North Dakota EPSCoR.Non-Technical Abstract: This CAREER award supports research and education/outreach in the area of nanoscience. In particular, advanced computational and theoretical methods will be applied to increase our understanding of materials made of semiconductors that also have magnetic properties. These materials hold great promise to revolutionize conventional electronics by utilizing the magnetism of the atoms that make up the materials. Materials that use this magnetism, or spin, are called spintronic materials. The research will study various types of materials that could be good candidates for spintronic applications. The award will also support the development of a new college course on nanoscience and an outreach program for teaches in middle and high schools. Thus, the award supports a nice balance of cutting edge research and education for the next generation.

该奖项结合了理论和计算方法，最终目标是指导实验工作，寻找用于自旋电子器件应用的最佳材料。控制磁性半导体纳米结构的性质涉及许多难以通过实验解决的参数。通常，在实验室解决新想法之前，用计算机模拟测试新想法会更快、更便宜。本工作将着重于发展可靠的磁性半导体异质结构和量子点理论。它将使用动态平均场近似（DMFA）及其聚类推广来研究三种体系的磁性和输运性质：稀磁性半导体，如Ga1-x Mnx as，稀磁性半导体的量子点和磁性有机半导体薄膜，特别是金属卟啉。我们的理论将在一个统一的自洽方法中纳入这些系统中存在的不同竞争相互作用。这三个系统成为我们测试方法有效性的原型。这项研究将与纳米科学的教育/推广计划相结合。在大学层面，一门新的本科课程——纳米科学导论——将侧重于纳米科学和纳米技术。为了把纳米世界带给我们的孩子们，我计划开发一个关于纳米科学的探究性的、以活动为基础的项目，并为6-12年级教师的专业发展举办一个研讨会。我将以Lillian C. McDermot和华盛顿大学物理教育小组的《物理探究》的形式开发和测试纳米科学和纳米技术模块。知识价值：可靠的磁性半导体理论对自旋电子器件应用的进展至关重要。由于具有良好的特性，一些材料家族目前正受到积极的审查。虽然这些材料彼此之间差异很大，但它们显示出共同的特征，例如存在几种竞争相互作用和短程相关性，显着的激子和极化子效应以及强约束效应。我们的理论将恰当地解释这些影响，并能够做出特定于物质的预测。这项研究将拓宽我们对磁性半导体在自旋电子器件、量子计算和量子信息系统中的基本认识和潜在应用。将开发新的方法和算法；它们将与其他强相关系统的建模相关。更广泛的影响：纳米技术面临的一个重大挑战是教育。在10到15年的时间里，我们可能拥有了新技术的必要研究成果，但却没有熟练的工人来利用它们。我们推广工作的主要目标将是提高学生对科学的兴趣和成就，并鼓励高中生考虑纳米科学的职业。我们区域的儿童几乎没有途径抓住纳米技术革命所提供的机会。我们的努力将通过为小学和高中教师举办的讲习班，帮助将纳米科学带给公众。此外，培养高性能计算领域的本科生和研究生对于促进红河谷研究走廊内以技术为基础的经济发展至关重要。这项研究完全符合大学和州的重点研究领域；高性能计算是北达科他州大学战略计划的优先事项，自旋电子学研究是北达科他州EPSCoR的四个全州研究计划之一。摘要：该职业奖支持纳米科学领域的研究和教育/推广。特别是，先进的计算和理论方法将被应用于增加我们对同样具有磁性的半导体材料的理解。这些材料通过利用构成材料的原子的磁性，有望彻底改变传统的电子学。利用这种磁性或自旋的材料被称为自旋电子材料。该研究将研究各种类型的材料，这些材料可能是自旋电子应用的良好候选者。该奖项还将支持开发一门关于纳米科学的新大学课程，以及一项面向初高中教师的拓展计划。因此，该奖项为下一代的前沿研究和教育提供了良好的平衡。