CAREER: Atomic-Scale Engineering and In-situ Analysis of Materials for Spin Electronics

这个CAREER项目解决了与自旋电子学材料系统、绝缘体和半导体附近的磁性薄膜相关的基本材料科学问题。该方法是发展协调的超高真空原位探针的自旋极化输运和表面结构。超高真空沉积技术将被用来控制原子尺度的粗糙度和相互混合的薄膜，其传输特性将被测量原位。测量结果将与自旋极化输运的从头计算相结合，以了解原子结构与性质的关系。该项目的目标之一是确定和开发巨磁阻（GMR）自旋阀的潜力，广泛用于高密度磁记录。总的来说，拟议的研究努力展示一条从原子级材料理解和设计到增强信息存储设备性能的路径。该项目涉及电子/磁性材料科学中具有技术相关性的基础研究问题。该项目的一个重要特点是高度重视教育，并将研究与教育相结合。该研究计划提供了很好的机会，实践经验，在使用先进的科学设备，跨学科的方法和技术重点提出的研究将结转到本科生和研究生材料科学课程开发在哥伦比亚，并在当地K-12学校的推广活动。***

This CAREER project addresses fundamental materials science issues associated with spintronics materials systems, magnetic ultrathin films in proximity to insulators and semiconductors. The approach is to develop coordinated UHV in-situ probes of spin polarized transport and surface structure. UHV deposition techniques will be used to control atomic-scale roughness and inter-mixing in films whose transport properties will be measured in-situ. Measurements will be com-pared with ab-initio calculations of spin-polarized transport to understand atomic structure-properties relationships. One of the project aims is to ascertain and develop the potential of giant-magnetoresistive (GMR) spin valves, used widely in ultrahigh density magnetic recording. Over-all, the proposed research strives to demonstrate a path from atomic-level materials understand-ing and design to enhanced device performance in information storage. %%% The project addresses fundamental research issues in electronic/magnetic materials science hav-ing technological relevance. An important feature of the project is the strong emphasis on educa-tion, and the integration of research and education. The research program provides excellent op-portunities for hands-on experience in the use of sophisticated scientific equipment, and the in-terdisciplinary approach and technological focus proposed for the research will carry over into undergraduate and graduate Materials Science curriculum development at Columbia, and into outreach activities at local K-12 schools. ***