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

* 技术摘要 * 在这项研究计划中，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性行为和相分离现象。在第一个项目中，PI将研究由磁性主体材料和嵌入式铁电纳米柱阵列组成的外延纳米结构，探索电荷和应变工程界面磁电耦合。第二个计画旨在研究相关氧化物薄膜中的尺寸限制与铁电场效应调变所导致的奈米级相结构。感兴趣的材料包括庞磁电阻氧化物和莫特绝缘体，它们在纳米尺度上是本质上相分离的。该计划的成功实施可以推进对纳米尺度和界面上磁电耦合和相关行为的基本理解，并导致新型氧化物基电子和自旋电子器件。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将设计一个易于理解的卡通女孩角色作为角色模型，并将使用一系列日常生活故事来传达基本的物理概念。这些故事将通过一个网络界面向公众传播，以吸引年轻人，特别是年轻妇女，对物理学和科学更感兴趣并参与其中。非技术摘要 * 本研究项目的重点是研究人工设计的复杂氧化物纳米结构和界面中电子和磁性状态之间的新型耦合以及相结构的局部控制。第一个项目的目的是制造人工氧化物纳米结构，其中铁电柱阵列嵌入磁性主体材料中，界面以原子精度（外延）注册，并研究磁和电状态之间的耦合机制。第二个计画的目标是借由尺寸限制或铁电场效应调变，在相关氧化物薄膜中创造并研究奈米级的相结构。长期目标是通过这项研究实现的理解将导致新的基于氧化物的电子和自旋电子（固态）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学的前沿研究，接受先进实验技术的培训。教育目标是使学生，特别是妇女，在幼年时就对物理学研究感兴趣并参与其中。PI将以一个容易接近的女孩角色为中心创作一系列卡通故事，利用邻近效应吸引女性观众。在这些纸箱的故事，PI将提出一个初学者的基本物理问题的角度来看，并探讨如何物理可以在课堂外接近。这些故事将通过一个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.