A Structural Study of Strain Effects in Manganite Films

这一个人研究人员奖将支持一个项目，其目标是深入了解锰酸盐系统中电子自旋、电子输运和原子结构的密切耦合，可能导致开发具有较强电子-晶格关联的更准确的系统模型。从纳米尺度到块状薄膜的长程、纳米尺度和局域原子结构将被确定，以探索衬底应变和薄膜厚度对磁性和输运性质的影响。结构将通过各种技术确定，包括X射线衍射、原子力显微镜和X射线吸收光谱。将与相应的块体材料进行直接比较，并将结构与电阻率和磁化测量进行关联。这些材料可能在未来的磁读取头技术中使用。研究生和本科生将参与到这项工作的各个层面。为培养学生的科学素养，每年将为纽瓦克地区的高中学生和教师设计为期七周的过渡金属氧化物制备与表征暑期研究和教学项目。锰氧化物系材料是一类电阻率随外加磁场变化较大的材料。这些变化比目前计算机硬盘驱动器中使用的传感器大一个数量级，可能会显著提高存储容量。然而，必须提高硬盘驱动器中使用的低磁场下的灵敏度。从基础科学的角度来看，这些材料为原子结构和电子传输之间具有很大相关性的系统提供了一个重要的试验场。这一个人研究人员奖将支持对广泛的与技术应用和基础科学理解有关的电影的研究。目的是了解衬底应变和薄膜厚度对磁性的影响。研究生和本科生将参与到这项工作的各个层面。为纽瓦克地区高中学生和教师设计的为期七周的过渡金属氧化物制备和表征的暑期研究和教学计划将在这笔赠款的每一年进行。这将有助于培养学生的科学素养，并可能影响学生追求科学事业。

This individual investigator award will support a project with the goal of providing insight into the intimate coupling of electron spin, electron transport and atomic structure in the manganite system, possibly leading to the development of more accurate models of systems with strong electron-lattice correlations. The long-range, nanoscale and local atomic structure will be determined in films ranging from the nanoscale to bulk-like to explore how magnetic and transport properties are influenced by substrate strain and film thickness. The structure will be determined via a variety of techniques including, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Direct comparisons will be made with corresponding bulk materials and correlations of the structure with resistivity and magnetization measurements will be performed. These materials may be of use in future magnetic read-head technologies. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in all levels of this work. To develop scientific literacy in students, a seven week summer research and teaching program on transition metal oxide preparation and characterization designed for Newark area high school students and teachers will be conducted during each year of this grant.The manganite system is a class of materials that exhibit large changes in resistivity with applied magnetic field. These changes are an order of magnitude larger than those in sensors currently used in computer hard drives and may enable significantly higher storage capacity. However, the sensitivity at low magnetic fields required for use in hard drives must be improved. From the basic scientific perspective, these materials provide an important testing ground for systems with large correlations between atomic structure and electron transport. This individual investigator award will support a study of a broad range of films relevant to both technological applications and basic science understanding. The goal is to understand how magnetic properties are influenced by substrate strain and film thickness. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in all levels of this work. A seven-week summer research and teaching program on transition metal oxide preparation and characterization, designed for Newark area high school students and teachers will be conducted during each year of this grant. This will serve to develop scientific literacy and may influence students to pursue careers in science.