Acquisition of a Scanning Hall Probe Microscope for Nanomagnetics Research and Student Training

这笔拨款支持购买扫描霍尔探针显微镜（SHPM）系统，用于纳米尺度表面磁场的定量、非侵入性测量。这种最近开发的坚固仪器是一种低温/室温SHPM，可以同时在SHPM和STM模式下运行，也可以在SHPM和AFM模式下运行，以提供补充信息。该仪器非常适合于磁性纳米/微观结构的研究：1)它可以在高磁场下工作（容易达到7特斯拉以上）；2)具有高的场分辨率和空间分辨率（约50纳米）；3)它不需要自动光滑，无氧化物表面。它将包括一个用于较大样品的室温磁头，一个带超导螺线管的低温磁头，用于在1.5-300 K的温度范围内工作，电场高达8特斯拉，以及一个控制器来操作两个磁头。室温头将处理更大的样品，可以在空气或受控气氛中操作。这种配置非常适合培训SHPM技术人员。该项目将支持德克萨斯农工大学对纳米磁体和磁性纳米/微观结构的研究，包括纳米磁体、单磁性分子、混合磁性装置和操纵生物标本的磁性陷阱的研究。德克萨斯农工大学有一个活跃的跨学科材料研究项目。大约40名学生（本科生，研究生和博士后）将与主要用户一起在新的单分子磁铁（SMM），薄膜和SMM的复合材料的设计方面进行研究。除了提供新的研究能力外，该仪器还用于培养博士后、研究生、本科生和高中教师及其学生关于纳米磁铁和扫描探针显微镜的基本原理。大约20%的仪器操作时间将用于教育和培训。有机会使用该仪器的学生将学习磁场和磁性纳米结构。该仪器将纳入跨学科材料科学研究生实验课程，以及本科生和资优高中生的专项研究项目。特别是，大量的大学荣誉研究员（进行荣誉研究论文的高级本科生）和NASA夏普参与者（有天赋的少数民族高中生）将从仪器的使用寿命中获得这个机会中受益。

This grant supports the acquisition of a Scanning Hall Probe Microscope (SHPM) system, for the quantitative, noninvasive measurement of surface magnetic fields at the nanometer length scale. This recently developed robust instrument is a low temperature/room temperature SHPM that can be operated simultaneously in either the SHPM and STM modes or the SHPM and AFM modes to provide complementary information. This instrument is ideally suited for the study of magnetic nano/micro structures: 1) it can operate in high magnetic fields (easily to above 7 Tesla); 2) it has high field and spatial resolution (about 50 nanometers); 3) it does not require automatically smooth, oxide free surfaces. It will consist of a room temperature head for use with larger samples, a low temperature head with superconducting solenoid for operation in the temperature range 1.5-300 K at fields up to 8 Tesla, and one controller to operate the two heads. The room temperature head will handle much larger samples and can be operated in air or a controlled atmosphere. This configuration is well suited for training personnel in the SHPM techniques. This project will support research on nanomagnets and magnetic nano/microstructures at Texas A&M University including the study of nanomagnets, single magnetic molecules, hybrid magnetic devices and magnetic traps to manipulate biological specimens. There is an active interdisciplinary materials research program at Texas A&M University. Approximately 40 students (undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral) with the principle users will benefit in their research in the design of new Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs), thin films and composite materials of SMM's. In addition to providing new research capability, this instrument serves to train postdoctoral students, graduate students, undergraduate students and high school teachers and their students in the fundamental principles of nanomagnets and scanning probe microscopies. Approximately 20% of the instrument operating time will be dedicated to education and training. Students having access to this instrument will learn about magnetic fields and magnetic nanostructures. The instrument will be integrated into the interdisciplinary materials science graduate laboratory course, and special research projects for undergraduates and gifted high school students. In particular, a large number of University Honors Fellows (advanced undergraduates undertaking an Honors research thesis) and NASA Sharp participants (gifted minority high school students) will benefit from having access to this opportunity over the lifetime of the instrument.