SPIN-Lab

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This proposal will develop a core laboratory that brings together the critical research tools for the characterisation of isolated and coupled spins in a well-managed hub: SPIN-Lab. This will be achieve through the upgrade of exiting tools together with the purchase of state-of-the art instruments to replace ageing or oversubscribed facilities. Therefore, we will implement a coherent vision centred on a combination of techniques that is not usually prioritised in a single institution, and that will be unique in the UK. Ultimately SPIN-Lab will be positioned as a leading national centre for magnetism research, supported by a research officer and managed by a board including members from Materials, Physics, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences and Chemical Engineering. The current user base is over 50 investigators, spanning three faculties, at Imperial alone, and we will work closely with London-based institutions via for example the London Centre for Nanotechnology. The facility will be open to external users who will amount to 20% of the usage.Key research tools include: (a) a state-of-the-art SQUID-based Quantum Design Magnetic Properties Measurement System (MPMS-3) that will perform ultra-high sensitivity magnetic measurements in a range of conditions such as under photoexcitation, at high pressure, and in alternating fields. (b) A state-of-the-art continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer coupled with a laser. (c) Upgrades to ensure sustainability of existing tools by implementing cryogen-free operation, as well as extending functionality to include ferromagnetic resonance, magnetic force microscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and low temperature Hall probe. Our research will initially be applied to the following grand challenges: (1) Engineering novel solutions: Plastic electronics, catalysis, batteries, solar fuels; (2) Health and well-being: Hyperthermia and magnetic sensing; (3) Leading the data revolution: Spintronics and the Maser; (4) Discovery and the natural world: Natural magnetism, photosynthesis, photochemistry.