CAREER: Interface Engineered Multiferroics and Nanoscale Phase Modulation in Complex Oxide Heterostructures

*技术摘要*在本研究计划中，PI使用两种策略来研究复杂氧化物纳米结构和界面中的多铁行为和相分离现象。在第一个项目中，PI将研究由磁性主体材料和嵌入的铁电纳米管阵列组成的外延纳米结构，探索电荷和应变工程界面的磁电耦合。第二个项目旨在研究相关氧化物薄膜中的尺寸约束和铁电场效应调制诱导的纳米相结构。感兴趣的材料包括巨大的磁阻氧化物和Mott绝缘体，它们在纳米尺度上本质上是相分离的。该计划的成功实施可以促进对纳米尺度和界面的磁电耦合和相关行为的基本理解，并导致新型氧化物电子和自旋电子器件的出现。这些项目为研究生、本科生和高中生提供了令人兴奋的研究机会。此外，PI将设计一个容易接近的卡通女孩角色作为榜样，在这个角色的基础上，将使用一系列日常生活故事来传达基本的物理概念。这些故事将通过基于网络的界面向公众传播，以吸引年轻人，特别是年轻女性，对物理和科学更感兴趣和参与。*非技术摘要*本研究计划重点研究人工设计的复杂氧化物纳米结构和界面中电子和磁态之间的新颖耦合和相结构的局部控制。第一个项目的目的是制备人工氧化物纳米结构，其中铁电柱阵列嵌入到具有原子精度(外延)的界面的磁性主体材料中，并研究磁态和电态之间的耦合机制。第二个项目的目标是通过尺寸限制或铁电场效应调制来创建和研究相关氧化物薄膜中的纳米级相结构。长期目标是，通过这项研究获得的理解将导致基于氧化物的新型电子和自旋电子(固态)设备，这些设备可以超越当前信息技术中使用的设备的性能限制。参与这些项目的学生将接触到凝聚态物理的前沿研究，接受先进实验技术的培训。教育的目标是让学生，特别是女性，从小就对物理学习感兴趣并参与其中。少年派将创作一系列卡通故事，以一个容易接近的女孩角色为中心，利用接近效应来吸引女性观众。在这些纸箱故事中，PI将呈现初学者对基本物理问题的看法，并探索如何在课堂外接近物理。这些故事将通过基于网络的界面向公众传播。

****Technical Abstract****In this research program, the PI uses two strategies to study multiferroic behavior and phase separation phenomenon in complex oxide nanostructures and interfaces. In the first project, the PI will investigate epitaxial nanostructures composed of a magnetic host material and an embedded array of ferroelectric nanopillars, exploring charge and strain-engineered interface magnetoelectric coupling. The second project aims at examining the size confinements and ferroelectric field effect modulation induced nanoscale phase structures in correlated oxide thin films. The materials of interest include the colossal magnetoresistance oxides and Mott insulators, which are intrinsically phase separated at the nanoscale. A successful implementation of the program can advance the fundamental understanding of magnetoelectric coupling and correlated behavior at the nanoscale and interfaces, and lead to novel oxide-based electronic and spintronic devices. These projects provide exciting research opportunities for students at the graduate, undergraduate, and high school levels. In addition, the PI will devise an easily accessible cartoon girl character as a role model, upon which a series of daily life stories will be used to convey basic physics concepts. The stories will be disseminated to the public through a Web-based interface to attract young people, in particular young women, to be more interested and involved in physics and science.****Non-technical Abstract****This research program focuses on the study of novel coupling between electronic and magnetic states and local control of phase structures in artificially designed complex oxide nanostructures and interfaces. The aim of the first project is to fabricate artificial oxide nanostructures, where an array of ferroelectric pillars are embedded in a magnetic host material with the interface registered with atomic precision (epitaxy), and investigate the coupling mechanism between the magnetic and electric states. The goal of the second project is to create and study nanoscale phase structures in correlated oxide thin films through size confinements or ferroelectric field effect modulation. The long term goal is that understanding achieved through this research will lead to novel oxide-based electronic and spintronic (solid state) devices that can transcend the performance limits of the devices utilized in current information technology. Students involved in these projects will be exposed to frontier research at condensed matter physics, receiving training in advanced experimental techniques. The educational goal is to engage students, especially women, to be interested and involved in physics studies at an early age. The PI will create a series of cartoon stories center on an easily accessible girl character, utilizing the proximity effect to attract the women audience. In these carton stories, the PI will present a beginner's perspective of basic physics problems and explore how physics can be approached outside the classroom. The stories will be disseminated to the public through a Web-based interface.