Center for Emergent Materials, an NSF MRSEC

非技术摘要：材料创新将是新的计算和信息处理技术的核心，这些技术将巩固全球经济，并在不断变化和全球互联的世界中提高人类福祉。 发现新材料产生新的量子现象是许多这些创新的核心。速度和能源效率的持续提高将依赖于新材料和新现象的出现，其微妙性和复杂性需要一系列实验和理论能力的协调和集中综合。 应急材料中心是俄亥俄州州立大学的NSF MRSEC（CEM），通过在有利和协作的环境中吸引来自不同背景和学科的研究人员，实现创新科学和复杂材料的发现。 这些科学家在两个跨学科研究小组（IRG）中工作，构思和创造了能够改善对磁特性控制的材料;第一个重点是界面处的磁相互作用，第二个重点是控制磁相互作用之间的配置和相互关系，即使在存在破坏性力量的情况下也能保护所需的磁特性。 该MRSEC正在制定创新的科学教学战略，以方便不同群体进入科学企业，并欢迎妇女和代表性不足的群体的贡献。 CEM的基础研究被整合到与年轻科学家从小学到中学的持续互动中，以激发他们对科学的参与。 将提高多样性的协调一致的重点纳入了该基金活动的所有方面。技术摘要：一个IRG正在创造新的材料，使金属和磁铁之间的界面原子的控制。它使用高分辨率显微镜确定界面的结构，然后使用各种运输，磁性和快速光学探针研究磁性配置和激发。 理论研究指导科学方向和材料选择，并提供对实验结果的洞察。这些进展将为控制自旋静态和动态行为的创新手段打开大门。 第二个IRG试图发现具有拓扑保护的磁激发的材料。 确认这些微妙特征的存在并理解它们的性质需要协调应用与理论指导紧密结合的各种实验，以揭示这些微妙现象。 IRG试图在强关联磁性材料中建立一种新的拓扑相范式，从而提供对固体磁性的精确控制，这将对自旋电子学和量子信息都有重要的应用。 该中心继续每两周与高需求的小学生接触。该计划正在催生一个充满活力的OSU本科生和研究生社区，并帮助开发创新方法，通过科学推广来增强多样性。 中心教师是外部资助的硕士到博士学位的重要参与者。少数民族桥梁计划，增加了合格的教师候选人从代表性不足的背景池。CEM的多样性行动计划，建立在行之有效的战略，采用具体的，可衡量的步骤，重点是提高教师和中学后的多样性。 专业发展课程教授寻求非学术职业的学生所需的网络，面试和谈判技巧。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nontechnical Abstract: Innovations in materials will be central to new computational and information-processing technologies that will undergird economies world-wide and enhance human well-being in a changing and globally interconnected world. Discovery of new materials engendering novel quantum phenomena lies at the heart of many of these innovations. Continuing improvement in speed and energy-efficiency will rely on the emergence of new materials and phenomena whose subtlety and complexity demand the coordinated and focused synthesis of a range of experimental and theoretical capabilities. The Center for Emergent Materials, an NSF MRSEC (CEM) at Ohio State University, realizes innovative science and complex materials discovery by engaging researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines in an enabling and collaborative environment. Working in two Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs), these scientists conceive and create materials that grant improved control over magnetic properties; the first focuses on magnetic interactions at interfaces, and the second on control of configurations and interrelationships between magnetic interactions that protect desired magnetic properties even in the presence of disruptive forces. This MRSEC is devising innovative strategies for teaching science that ease the entry of diverse groups into the scientific enterprise, and welcome the contributions of women and underrepresented groups. CEM’s fundamental research is integrated into sustained ongoing interactions with young scientists from elementary school through secondary study to inspire their engagement with science. A concerted focus on improving diversity is integrated into all facets of the MRSEC’s activities. Technical Abstract: One IRG is creating novel materials that enable control of atoms at the interface between metals and magnets. It determines the structure of the interface using high resolution microscopy then investigates magnetic configurations and excitations using a variety of transport, magnetic and fast optical probes. Theoretical studies guide scientific directions and choice of materials and provide insight into experimental results. These advances will open the door to innovative means of controlling static and dynamic behavior of spins. A second IRG seeks to discover materials harboring topologically protected magnetic excitations. Confirming the existence of these subtle features and understanding their properties requires coordinated application of a diverse suite of experiments closely integrated with theoretical guidance to bring these subtle phenomena to light. The IRG seeks to establish a new paradigm of topological phases in strongly correlated magnetic materials thus providing the precise control over the magnetic properties of solids that will have critical applications for both spintronics and quantum information. The Center continues to have bi-weekly contact with high-needs elementary school students. This program is spawning a vibrant community of OSU undergraduate and graduate students, and aids in the development of innovative approaches to enhancing diversity through scientific outreach. Center faculty are vital participants in the externally funded Masters-to-Ph.D. minority Bridge Program that increases the pool of qualified faculty candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. CEM’s Diversity Action Plan, founded on proven strategies employing concrete, measurable steps, is focused on improving faculty and post-secondary diversity. A Professional Development course teaches the networking, interviewing and negotiating skills that students seeking non-academic careers need.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.