Artificially Inhomogeneous Magnetic Materials

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Non-Technical Abstract This project advances the progress of science by exploring how to control magnetic properties by making materials in new and very well controlled ways, and evaluating what new applications may be realized with such magnetic materials. Advances in magnetism are integral to new sensors, computing technologies, energy efficiency, and data storage, all of which impact US health, prosperity, and national defense. The project may also benefit manufacturers that use advanced magnetic materials in their products, which will help the US maintain technological superiority. Additionally, this project will support the training of young scientists so that they become familiar with modern research techniques and scientific collaboration, and ultimately develop the skills needed thrive in the US scientific and engineering workforce. Technical AbstractThe goals of this work are to create and investigate nanoscale magnetic heterostructures that contain intentional distributions of magnetic properties. We will investigate how well-controlled composition gradients in magnetic structures can lead to new functions that may enable the design of new devices relevant to applications such as: magnetic recording and data storage; telecommunications; and energy harvesting. Focus areas include thermally tunable exchange coupling in magnetic films; magnonic waveguides; and graded magnetic structures for electrical energy generation via spin motive forces. Understanding how to define and control magnetic properties with temperature will have implications for energy harvesting and energy assisted magnetic recording. Understanding how magnons propagate in inhomogeneous magnetic materials may impact the future of telecommunications and enable novel computing architectures with reduced energy requirements. Understanding the novel phenomenon of spin motive force may lead to energy harvesting and advanced battery technologies. The artificially structured materials will be fabricated by thin film deposition techniques, and their physical properties will be characterized using magnetometry, diffraction, transport, and neutron scattering in collaboration with national laboratories.