NER: Atomic-Scale Magnetoresistive Sensors and Nanoscience Education

我们建议利用最近发展的制造技术来制造具有原子尺度有源区的电子器件，用于感应磁场。我们将研究这些设备的物理特性，着眼于优化它们在“现实世界”条件下的应用（例如，在室温环境中稳定）。器件结构将是软铁磁电极之间的原子级结，由光刻定义的起始电极通过电化学生长制造。类似的结表现出弹道磁阻，这是一种大的（~1000%）磁阻效应，其潜在的详细物理机制未知。我们将研究在良好控制的域几何结构中结磁电阻的温度和方向依赖性，以更好地理解这些器件的物理特性。这个提议是雄心勃勃和高风险的，处于制造能力的前沿，但具有很高的潜在回报，具有原子尺度有源区的磁传感器，以及对其底层物理的详细了解。这项研究计划和相关的教育工作将产生重大影响，超出上述研究目标。具有大磁阻效应的稳定原子级传感器有可能成为磁性数据存储行业的颠覆性技术，就像十年前的巨磁阻设备一样。以比现有GMR技术更高的灵敏度探测局部磁场，将使正在进行的太比特/铟存储设备的开发成为可能。此外，已经积极参与纳米科学教育工作的PI将利用这项研究的内容和莱斯大学现有的外展项目，对本科生、研究生和K-12教育产生持久的影响。本NER提案涉及项目公告中讨论的纳米级器件和系统架构主题。

We propose to exploit recently developed fabrication techniques to make electronic devices with atomic-scale active regions for sensing magnetic fields. We shall examine the physics of such devices, with an eye toward optimizing them for applications under "real world" conditions (e.g. stable at room temperature in an ambient environment). The device configuration will be atomic-scale junctions between soft ferromagnetic electrodes, fabricated by electrochemical growth from lithographically defined starting electrodes. Similar junctions exhibit ballistic magnetoresistance, a large (~1000%) magnetoresistive effect with an unknown underlying detailed physical mechanism. We will examine the temperature and orientation dependence of the junction magnetoresistance in a well-controlled domain geometry to better understand the physics of these devices. This proposal is ambitious and high-risk, at the frontiers of fabrication capabilities, but with a high potential payoff magnetic sensors with an atomic-scale active region, and a detailed understanding of their underlying physics.This research program and related educational efforts will have significant impact beyond the research goals described above. Stable atomic-scale sensors with large magnetoresistive effects have the potential to be a disruptive technology for the magnetic data storage industry, much as giant magnetoresistance devices were ten years ago. Detection of local magnetic fields with sensitivity greater than existing GMR technology will enable the ongoing development of terabit/in2 storage devices. Furthermore, the PI, already active in nanoscience educational efforts, will leverage the content of this research and existing outreach programs at Rice University for lasting impact on undergraduate, graduate, and K-12 education. This NER proposal addresses the Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture theme discussed in the program announcement.