REU Site: in Magnetics

非技术摘要：由材料研究部资助，弗吉尼亚联邦大学(VCU)的REU磁学网站计划为VCU的磁学本科生提供增强的研究体验。VCU有几名教职员工，他们的主要研究重点是磁学，涵盖的主题从自旋电子学中的Skyrmions和神经形态计算，到生物磁学中的磁神经调节和高温癌症治疗。学生将从美国大学招生，主要集中在东海岸。在这项提案中，VCU Pi和co-Pi与来自大里士满地区的弗吉尼亚联合大学(VUU)和弗吉尼亚州立大学(VSU)的教职员工合作，在夏季接待10名本科生，为期10周。学生们还将在波士顿哈佛大学的国家标准与技术研究所(NIST)和弗吉尼亚州彼得斯堡的英联邦先进制造中心(CCAM)呆上一周，进行从中子衍射到脑刺激的各种实验。此外，REU的学生将参观弗吉尼亚州的美光科技公司，以深入了解目前用于计算机行业的纳米制造设施。技术摘要：弗吉尼亚联邦大学(VCU)磁学方面的REU网站由来自VCU、VUU和VSU的12名教职员工组成，将在他们的实验室接待10名REU学生。弗吉尼亚微电子中心(VMC)、材料与制造研究中心(MMRC)和纳米表征中心(NCC)的最先进的微纳制造、大宗材料加工和磁性表征设施将用于培训REU学生。这些中心位于弗吉尼亚州立大学工程学院，并获得了几个NSF主要研究仪器奖。学生所从事的研究课题是：1.用于节能的非易失性存储器和用于神经网络的突触的天空微子的电压控制和应变中介的磁性控制。2.基于磁隧道结的机器学习自旋波纳米天线和矩阵乘法器的研制。3.用于热管理技术的多功能磁性相变复合材料。4.交换弹簧永磁体用核壳纳米粒子的结构表征。5.高功率脉冲磁控溅射制备的核壳系统的强交换耦合。6.开发用于节能冷却设备的磁热纳米颗粒。7.小动物高聚焦经颅磁刺激线圈的研制。8.开发用于验证经颅磁刺激方案的脑模。9.研究里士满粉尘样品的磁性与哮喘发病率的关系。10.神经解剖对四肢瘫痪患者经颅磁刺激后运动诱发电位的影响。11.用于神经形态计算的纳米磁性设备的制造和表征。12.研究了外加磁场作用下磁性复合软机器人的3D打印过程、磁性能和机械性能。参与该计划的教职员工在培训本科生的研究领域方面拥有丰富的经验。他们创造了一个有利的环境来招收不同的学生，并培养他们的专业和研究技能。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical Abstract: Funded by the Division of Materials Research, the REU Site in Magnetics at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) plans to provide enhanced research experience for undergraduate students in magnetics at VCU. There are several faculty members at VCU whose primary research focus is magnetics, covering topics ranging from skyrmions and neuromorphic computing in spintronics to magnetic neuromodulation and hyperthermia cancer treatment in biomagnetics. Students will be recruited from US universities, mainly focusing on the East Coast. In this proposal, VCU PI and co-PI have partnered with faculty members from Virginia Union University (VUU) and Virginia State University (VSU) in the Greater Richmond area to host 10 undergraduate students for 10 weeks in the summer. Students will also spend one week at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gaithersburg, Harvard University, Boston, and at Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), Petersburg, VA, conducting various experiments ranging from neutron diffraction to brain stimulation. Additionally, REU students will visit Micron Technologies Inc. in Virginia to gain insight into nanofabrication facilities that are currently used in the computer industry. Technical Abstract: The REU Site in Magnetics at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) consists of 12 faculty members from VCU, VUU, and VSU and will host 10 REU students in their labs. State-of-the-art micro and nanofabrication, bulk materials processing, and magnetic characterization facilities at Virginia Microelectronics Center (VMC), Material and Manufacturing Research Center (MMRC) and Nano Characterization Center (NCC) will be used in training the REU students. These centers are located at the College of Engineering of VCU and have received several NSF Major Research Instrumentation awards. The topics of research that students undertake are 1. Voltage control of skyrmions and strain-mediated control of magnetism for energy-efficient non-volatile memory and synapses for neural networks. 2. Development of spin wave nano-antenna and matrix multiplier for machine learning using magnetic tunnel junctions. 3. Multifunctional magnetic phase change composites for thermal management technologies. 4. Structural characterization of core-shell nanoparticles for exchange-spring permanent magnets. 5. Strong exchange coupling of core-shell systems prepared by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. 6. Development of magnetocaloric nanoparticles for energy-efficient cooling devices. 7. Development of highly focal transcranial magnetic stimulation coils for small animals. 8. Development of brain phantoms for validation of transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols. 9. Investigation of the relationship between magnetic properties of dust samples in Richmond City and high asthma rates. 10. Effect of neuroanatomy on motor evoked potentials after transcranial magnetic stimulation in tetraplegia patients. 11. Fabrication and characterization of nanomagnetic devices for neuromorphic computing. 12. Investigation of the 3D printing process, magnetic and mechanical properties of the magnetic composite soft robots under applied magnetic field. The faculty members who are part of the proposal have significant experience in training undergraduate students in their research areas. They have created a conducive environment to recruit diverse students and train them with both professional and research skills.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.