MRI: Acquisition of an Advanced Magnetic Property Measurement System for Research and Education in the Paso del Norte Region

该项目将获得一台现代多用途超导量子干涉装置（SQUID）磁强计，该磁强计具有封闭循环无低温操作，具有前所未有的灵敏度。目前，在帕索德尔北地区的研究人员没有具有可比能力的测量设备。该设备的拟议收购将填补埃尔帕索研究基础设施的关键空白，作为许多用户测量需求的共享资源。该仪器对缩短科学发现过程和技术发展至关重要。使用该仪器开发的先进磁性、电子和光学方法将进一步增强研究基础设施，为三家不同的西班牙裔服务机构(即UTEP、新墨西哥州立大学（NMSU）和新墨西哥高地大学（NMHU）的科学家和工程师提供有价值的新能力。参与研究项目的研究生和本科生将在全球研发实验室广泛使用的平台上获得先进测量技术的实践经验。主要研究人员将利用与UTEP， NMSU和NMHU的社区外展项目建立的伙伴关系，让高中和西班牙裔学生参与研究和教育活动。该仪器的可用性将有助于吸引优秀的研究人员到帕索德尔北地区的大学。拟议的SQUID磁力计将为广泛的材料系统提供开创性和变革性的研究和培训机会，带来目前在帕索德尔北地区数百英里范围内不存在的区域能力。SQUID磁力计将能够在温度范围为1.8 K至1000 K，磁场高达7特斯拉，外部光源（180-1100 nm），压力范围为0至1.3 GPa的情况下表征微量磁性材料的磁性，并提供测量温度，磁场，压力，照明和样品方向的物理特性的新功能。除了卓越的灵敏度之外，该仪器在运行时不会损失液氦，这使得它成为一种高通量、低成本的设备，可以显著扩大长期的区域科学产出。该仪器将支持各种研究活动，包括：(a)在原位光激发和压力下研究范德华固体的磁性，(b)表征前所未有的具有开壳结构的铀内嵌富勒烯和稀土化合物，以探测其电子和磁性，(c)阐明钌基系统的电子结构和迷人的磁性，(d)为下一代热应用开发磁性和多铁性材料。(e)研究纳米复合薄膜的磁性和超导特性，(f)研究需要原位光激发的磁性有机框架，(g)探索需要磁化率和交流电选项的古岩石磁性方面，以及(h)研究高温磁电材料。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will acquire a modern multi-purpose Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometer with closed cycle cryogen-free operation with unprecedented sensitivity. Currently, no measurement equipment with comparable capability is available to researchers in the Paso del Norte region. The proposed acquisition of this equipment will fill a critical void in the research infrastructure of El Paso, serving as a shared resource for measurement needs of many users. The instrument will be vital to shortening the scientific discovery process and technology development. Advanced magnetic, electronic, and optical methods developed using this instrument will further enhance the research infrastructure to provide valuable new capabilities for scientists and engineers working in three different predominantly Hispanic Serving Institutes, namely, UTEP, New Mexico State University (NMSU), and New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU). Graduate and undergraduate students participating in the research projects will gain hands-on experience in advanced measurement techniques on a platform widely used in research and development laboratories around the world. The principal investigators will leverage the established partnerships with community outreach programs at UTEP, NMSU, and NMHU to involve high school and Hispanic students in research and educational activities. The availability of this instrument will help attract excellent researchers to the universities in the Paso del Norte regionThe proposed SQUID magnetometer will enable groundbreaking and transformative research and training opportunities on a broad range of material systems, bringing regional capabilities that do not currently exist within the vicinity of several hundred miles in the Paso del Norte region. The SQUID magnetometer will be able to characterize the magnetic properties of minute quantities of magnetic material over a temperature range from 1.8 K to 1000 K, magnetic fields up to 7 Tesla, external light source (180-1100 nm), pressure range of 0 to 1.3 GPa, and provide new capabilities for measuring physical properties as a function of temperature, magnetic field, pressure, illumination, and sample orientation. In addition to superior sensitivity, 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 long-term regional scientific output. The instrument will support diverse research activities including the following: (a) studying the magnetic properties of van der Waals solids upon in-situ photoexcitation and pressure, (b) characterizing unprecedented uranium endohedral fullerenes and rare earth compounds with open shell structures to probe their electronic and magnetic properties, (c) elucidating the electronic structure and fascinating magnetic characteristics of Ru-based systems, (d) developing magnetic and multiferroic materials for next generation thermal applications, (e) investigating the magnetic and superconducting properties of nanocomposite thin films, (f) examining magnetic organic frameworks that necessitate in-situ photoexcitation, (g) exploring the aspects of paleorock magnetism that needs susceptibility and alternating current options, and (h) investigating high temperature magnetoelectric materials.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.