NIRT:Active Multiferroic Nanostructures

摘要-NSF NIRT提案编号0609377本提案是对NSF 05-610 NIRT类纳米科学与工程倡议的响应。这项研究的目的是研究纳米结构中的磁电相互作用，促进新型传感器和信息存储器件的开发。其方法是设计、建模和合成层压板、纳米线和纳米管状的人造磁电复合材料。机械耦合的压电和磁致伸缩材料可以人工模拟真正的磁电材料的性质。这项研究结合了分子束外延、原子层外延、激光辅助外延、密度泛函理论和微波磁电学领域的专门知识，形成了一个协同计划，用于：(A)有源磁电薄膜/纳米结构层的外延生长，(B)机械耦合纳米结构磁电层的密度泛函理论建模，以及(C)微波磁电测试设备的制造和表征。该研究将为微型、无源(可长期使用电池)、常温工作(不需要低温恒温器)、高灵敏度(皮特斯拉)、具有纳米结构磁电复合材料的宽带(毫赫)系统。这些设备有望在生物医学传感、微波电路、存储元件等方面提供新的能力。这些新型设备领域的强大科学能力将促进美国的快速技术发展。上述基于高性能纳米结构的磁电设备的商业应用将有利于气体、生物医学传感以及用于手机等设备的无源微波电路。NIRT研究团队将协调和扩展现有的个人调查人员的教育和外展活动，形成一个连贯和广泛的计划。根据NIRT计划，现有的本科生和教师研究经验网站将得到补充，以教育学生和教师在多铁性和新型纳米结构领域的教育。

Abstract - NSF NIRT Proposal No. 0609377Active Multiferroic NanostructuresThis proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 05-610, category NIRT. The objective of this research is to study magneto-electric interaction in nanoscale structures and facilitate the development of novel sensor and information storage devices. The approach is to design, model and synthesize artificial magneto-electric composites in the form of laminates, nanowires, and nanopillars. Mechanically coupled piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials can artificially mimic the properties of true magneto-electric materials. The proposed research combines specific expertise in the field of molecular beam epitaxy, atomic layer epitaxy, laser assisted epitaxy, density functional theory and microwave magnetoelectrics into a synergistic program for: (a) epitaxial growth of active magneto-electric thin film/nanostructured layers, (b) density functional theory modeling of mechanically coupled nanostructured magneto-electric layers, and (c) fabrication and characterization of microwave magneto-electric test devices.The proposed study will provide a science base for the development of miniature, passive (long-term deployable with batteries), ambient temperature operated (no need of cryostats), highly-sensitive (pico-Tesla), broad band (milli-Hz) systems with the nanostructured magneto-electric composites. Such devices are expected to offer new capabilities in biomedical sensing, microwave circuits, memory elements etc. Strong scientific capabilities in the area of these novel devices will facilitate rapid technological development in the United States. The commercial use of the above mentioned high performance nanostructure based magneto-electric devices will be beneficial for gas, bio-medical sensing as well as for passive microwave circuits for use in devices such as cell phones etc. The NIRT research team will coordinate and expand the existing education and outreach activities of the individual investigators into a cohesive and wide-ranging program. Existing sites on research experiences for undergraduates and teachers will be supplemented under the NIRT program to educate students and teachers in the area of multiferroics and novel nanostructures.