MRI: Acquisition of SQUID Magnetometer for the Exploration of the Next Generation of Materials and the Study of Complex Spin Phenomena

DMR-1337567斯蒂芬该奖项通过美国国家科学基金会的主要研究仪器(MRI)计划支持购买最先进的磁强计，用于教育、研究培训和探索一系列新材料。该磁力计利用超导量子干涉装置(SQUID)进行磁通量检测，提供了极高的分辨率，是研究复杂材料中广泛的磁性现象的关键表征工具。波士顿学院的研究人员和许多地区、外部用户都参与了大量的材料合成和发现工作，这将与他们的教育活动一起，从获得磁强计中获得巨大的好处。特别是，该仪器将支持从复合氧化物到催化剂开发、从能量收集材料到高温超导体等领域的下一代材料的探索-所有这些都有望推动现代材料发现的前沿。此外，该仪器将支持本科生参与前沿研究，并作为一种工具，激发未被充分代表的高中实习生对科学的兴趣。通过该奖项获得的SQUID磁强计将在其作为用户设施的运营中产生直接影响，以支持波士顿学院和地区研究计划的研究和材料探索。促进这种新材料的发现和发展具有短期和长期的社会意义，在历史上，材料的进步是技术进步的重要组成部分。此外，能够在不损失液氦的情况下操作这台仪器，使其成为一种高通量、低成本的设施，将极大地放大其长期的区域科学产出。该仪器的易用性和低成本操作将使下一代本科生、研究生和博士后水平的研究科学家的培训成为可能，并为发现下一代功能材料提供关键资源。

DMR-1337567StephenThis award through the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program at NSF supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art magnetometer for education, research training, and the exploration of a host of novel materials. The magnetometer utilizes a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) for magnetic flux detection providing extremely high resolution and a critical characterization tool in the study a broad array of magnetic phenomena in complex materials. Researchers ate Boston College and numerous, regional, external users all engage in substantial materials synthesis and discovery efforts that will, along with their educational activities, tremendously benefit from the acquisition of the magnetometer. In particular, the instrument will support the exploration of the next generation of materials in fields ranging from complex oxides, to catalyst development, to energy harvesting materials, to high temperature superconductors---all of which hold the promise of pushing the frontiers of modern materials discovery. Additionally, the instrument will support undergraduate involvement in leading edge research as well as serve as a tool for stimulating interest in science for underrepresented high school interns.The SQUID magnetometer acquired through this award will have an immediate impact in its operation as a user facility to support both research and materials exploration at Boston College and in regional research programs. Fostering this discovery and development of novel materials has both near term and long-term societal significance where advances in materials historically underlie a significant fraction of technological advances. Additionally, the ability to operate this instrument without the loss of liquid helium renders it a high-throughput, low-cost, facility that stands to dramatically amplify its long-term regional scientific output. The ease of access and low-cost operation of the instrument will enable the training of the next generation of research scientists at undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels and provide a critical resource for the discovery of the next generation of functional materials.