CAREER: Low Energy Ion Beam Modification of Magnetic Film Structures

9502413古铁雷斯这个职业项目将探索低能离子束(低至~50电子伏)对沉积在硅和砷化镓衬底上的各种多晶和单晶过渡金属磁性薄膜结构(铁、钴、镍及其各种合金和氮化物)的影响。不同的离子束溅射参数，如衬底温度、工艺气体环境、离子束入射角、离子束能量等，都会改变，以确定它们对磁性薄膜特性的影响。本课程将研究离子束诱导的性质改变的物理学，并将这一知识应用于对更复杂的层状磁性薄膜结构中的诸如饱和磁化强度、矫顽力、各向异性和磁阻等技术上重要的磁性性质的受控改变。该研究计划包括与西南研究院、海军研究实验室、德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校、密苏里大学(中子反应堆设施)和联邦科学公司的相关合作努力。磁性薄膜材料是磁性传感器、微波/光纤通信和磁存储行业中实现设备的有利可图的结构。这些材料帮助刺激了磁技术行业的快速增长，使其达到目前约800亿美元的市场。这一职业研究项目将探索在薄膜沉积过程中，入射低能离子束对各种过渡金属铁磁材料(铁、钴、镍及其各种合金和氮化物)的影响。特别是，离子束控制的薄膜饱和磁化强度、磁各向异性、矫顽力和巨磁电阻的改性将被研究。所有薄膜材料都将在半导体衬底(硅和砷化镓)上进行处理，以促进其在器件中的可能实现。该研究项目将与西南得克萨斯州立大学的创新材料物理本科课程计划密切合作。***

9502413 Gutierrez This CAREER project will explore the influence of impinging low-energy ion beams (down to ~50 electron-volts) on various polycrystalline and single-crystalline transition metal magnetic film structures (iron, cobalt, nickel and their various alloys and nitrides) deposited on silicon and gallium-arsenide substrates. Different ion beam sputtering parameters such as substrate temperature, processing gas environment, ion beam angle of incidence, and ion beam energy will be varied in an effort to determine their influences on magnetic film characteristics. The physics of the ion beam-induced property modifications will be investigated, and this knowledge will be applied towards the controlled modification of technologically important magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization, coercivity, anisotropy, and magnetoresistance in more complicated layered magnetic film structures. The research program includes relevant collaborative efforts with Southwest Research Institute, the Naval Research Laboratory, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Missouri (Neutron Reactor Facility), and Commonwealth Scientific, Inc. %%% Magnetic film materials are lucrative structures for device implementation in the magnetic sensor, microwave/fiber-optic communication and magnetic storage industries. These materials have helped spur the rapid growth of the magnetic technology industry to its present ~$80 billion market. This CAREER research project will explore the influence of impinging low-energy ion beams on various transition metal ferromagnetic materials (iron, cobalt, nickel and their various alloys and nitrides) during film deposition. In particular, the ion beam-controlled modification of film saturation magnetization, magnetic anisotropy, coercivity, and giant magnetoresistance will be investigated. All film materi als will be processed on semiconductor substrates (silicon and gallium arsenide) to promote their possible implementation in devices. This research project will be operated in close cooperation with the innovative Materials Physics undergraduate curriculum program at Southwest Texas State University. ***