GOALI: Spin Transfer in Magnetic Nanostructures

技术：这个NSF-GOALI项目汇集了来自纽约大学和IBM的纳米磁学研究人员，目的是促进对自旋转移物理的理解，并将自旋转移应用于高性能设备，如磁性随机存取存储器(MRAM)。自旋转移是一种机制，通过它，自旋极化的电流可以改变纳米磁铁的磁取向，并诱导诸如自旋波之类的磁激发。这是一项令人兴奋的发展，很可能使磁性信息处理和存储方面的显著改进成为可能。这是因为自旋转移提供了一种机制，可以快速逆转具有大磁各向异性的纳米磁铁的磁化，否则需要巨大的局部磁场，这是提高磁信息存储密度的关键成就。这一领域的进一步发展需要对自旋转移诱导的动力学及其对材料性质的依赖有一个定量的了解。这一知识将指导技术开发，使自旋转移MRAM能够降低开关电流和提高开关速度。本项目将通过调查新的器件结构和材料，利用纽约大学独特的宽带高频测量技术作为表征材料参数和评估器件性能的工具，在这一方向上采取重要步骤。参与这一合作的研究生和本科生将受益于学术界和工业界之间的互动，以及纽约大学和IBM之间许多计划中的学生交流。高中生(对英特尔科学研究感兴趣)也将参与这项研究。非技术性：该项目汇集了纽约大学和IBM的研究人员，目的是促进对纳米级磁性设备和材料的理解和应用。磁性纳米结构在技术上得到了广泛的应用，其中最先进的应用是信息处理。这在美国是一个巨大的行业，随着全球对数据处理和存储的需求不断增加，该行业正在迅速增长。最近发现，在微型磁性设备中，直流电可以通过一种称为自旋转移的机制来改变磁化方向。这是一个令人兴奋的发展，可能会使磁信息处理和存储方面的显著改进成为可能。关于电流和磁化之间相互作用的性质，有许多重要和基本的问题，该项目将通过研究纽约大学可用的新设备结构、材料和独特的高频测量技术来解决这些问题。这项研究将与这一磁学研究前沿领域的青年科学家的培训相结合。参与这一合作的研究生和本科生将受益于学术界和工业界之间的互动，以及纽约大学和IBM之间许多计划中的交流。他们的教育将通过接触到工业环境中存在的各种观点、专业知识和技术而得到丰富。高中生(对英特尔科学研究感兴趣)也将参与这项研究。

Technical:This NSF-GOALI project brings together researchers in nanomagnetism from NYU and IBM with the aim of furthering the understanding of the physics of spin-transfer and applications of spin-transfer to high performance devices, such as magnetic random access memory (MRAM). Spin-transfer is a mechanism by which a spin-polarized current can alter the magnetic orientation of a nanomagnet and induce magnetic excitations such as spin-waves. This is an exciting development that will very likely enable dramatic improvements in magnetic information processing and storage. This is because spin-transfer offers a mechanism for rapidly reversing the magnetization of nanomagnets with large magnetic anisotropy that would otherwise require huge local magnetic fields an achievement critical to increasing magnetic information storage density. Further advancement of this field requires a quantitative understanding of spin-transfer induced dynamics and its dependence on materials properties. This knowledge will guide technological developments that will enable a reduced switching current and increased switching speed of spin-transfer MRAM. The present project will take significant steps in this direction through the investigation of new device structures and materials, using unique broad-band high-frequency measurement techniques at NYU as a tool both for the characterization of materials parameters and for assessing device performance. Graduate and undergraduate students involved in this collaboration will gain by interactions between academia and industry and through the many planned student exchanges between NYU and IBM. High school students (with interests in Intel Science Research) will also participate in this research.Non-Technical:This project brings together researchers from NYU and IBM with the aim of furthering the understanding and application of nanometer scale magnetic devices and materials. Magnetic nanostructures are widely used in technology with the most advanced applications found in information processing. This is a huge industry in the United States that is growing rapidly, with the ever-increasing worldwide demands for data processing and storage. It has recently been discovered that in miniature magnetic devices a direct electrical current can switch the direction of magnetization by a mechanism known as spin-transfer. This is an exciting development that may enable dramatic improvements in magnetic information processing and storage. There are many important and fundamental questions about the nature of the interaction between the current and magnetization that this project will address through the investigation of new device structures, materials and unique high frequency measurement techniques available at NYU. This research will be integrated with the training of young scientists in this forefront area of magnetism research. Graduate and undergraduate students involved in this collaboration will gain by interactions between academia and industry and through the many planned exchanges between NYU and IBM. Their education will be enriched through exposure to a variety of perspectives, expertise and techniques present in an industrial setting. High school students (with interests in Intel Science Research) will also participate in this research.