CAREER: Spin Transport and Dynamics in Nanostructures

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。技术总结这个职业奖项支持一个关于自旋传输和相关现象的综合研究和教育计划。自旋在物质的涌现阶段和非平衡现象中发挥着核心作用，非平衡现象激发了人们对利用电子自旋进行操作的设备技术的潜在应用的兴趣。这项研究集中在探索自旋输运和动力学的集体和拓扑性质的几个相关主题上，这可以分为两个大的领域：(1)磁性材料和纳米结构中的自旋流和序参数动力学。通过磁性织构传播的电子自旋经历了与织构的反应耦合。随之而来的？自旋磁流体力学？产生令人着迷的现象，如自旋扭矩和互易电动规场，最近点燃了活跃的理论和实验活动。PI将对接近和远离平衡的耗散和随机磁电子现象采取微观和现象学方法，特别强调非线性电流诱导的动力学和不稳定性。(2)自旋轨道耦合量子输运和关联。PI将开发包括自旋-轨道耦合在内的自旋输运的几何描述，并将研究低维系统、小环、环阵列和Wigner晶体中的局域化和干涉效应；自旋输运的边缘和界面性质；以及半经典和量子自旋霍尔效应。PI还将更广泛地探索纳米结构中的量子几何和关联效应，重点是固态介质中的虚拟规范场以及自旋电子、磁性、弹性和光学现象之间的相互作用。该奖项的教育部分将建立在加州大学洛杉矶分校加州大学洛杉矶分校的加州纳米系统研究所与洛杉矶公立学校合作的已经成功的推广计划的基础上，在洛杉矶统一学区推广纳米科学和纳米技术的想法和兴奋。将为加州大学洛杉矶分校的REU计划开发一个理论纳米科学组件，为学生提供一个可以学习、模拟和优化磁电子电路的程序，同时还将与加州大学洛杉矶分校的实验者和工程师合作。这一领域的广阔范围非常适合为物理和工程专业的研究生和高级本科生设计一门新的纳米科学课程。将与工业界就磁系统中的耗散、随机动力学和电流驱动不稳定性问题以及新的磁电子器件概念展开合作。非技术总结这个职业奖项支持综合的理论研究和教育，目的是更好地从根本上理解由于材料中电子的内在磁性而出现的新现象。在一个重要的意义上，电子就像一个带电荷的旋转的小陀螺。电子的自旋与电子紧密相连，就像一块微小的磁铁。操纵电子的能力？S自旋使一种新型电子设备能够像传统电子设备那样不仅利用电子电荷，而且还利用电子自旋。该奖项支持的研究为这项名为自旋电子学的新技术奠定了智力基础。将通过理论研究来了解和控制自旋如何在材料中运动，并预测由此产生的有趣现象。自旋电子器件可能会更节能，并可能使设备继续成功地快速微型化，同时提高性能，这已经刺激了美国电子行业数十年。该奖项的教育部分将建立在加州大学洛杉矶分校的加州纳米系统研究所已经成功的推广计划的基础上，该计划与洛杉矶公立学校合作，在洛杉矶统一学区促进纳米科学和纳米技术的想法和兴奋。将为加州大学洛杉矶分校的REU计划开发一个理论纳米科学组件，为学生提供一个可以学习、模拟和优化磁电子电路的程序，同时还将与加州大学洛杉矶分校的实验者和工程师合作。这一领域的广阔范围非常适合为物理和工程专业的研究生和高级本科生设计一门新的纳米科学课程。将与工业界就磁系统中的耗散、随机动力学和电流驱动不稳定性问题以及新的磁电子器件概念展开合作。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis CAREER award supports an integrated research and education program on spin transport and related phenomena. Spins play a central role in emergent phases of matter as well as in nonequilibrium phenomena, the latter fueling interest in potential applications to device technologies that exploit the spin of the electron for their operation. The research focuses on several related topics exploring collective and topological properties of spin transport and dynamics, which can be separated into two broad areas: (1) Spin flows and order-parameter dynamics in magnetic materials and nanostructures. Electron spin propagating through a magnetic texture experiences a reactive coupling with the texture. The ensuing ?spin magnetohydrodynamics? produces fascinating phenomena, such as spin torque and reciprocal electromotive gauge fields, which have recently ignited vibrant theoretical as well as experimental activities. The PI will pursue microscopic and phenomenological approaches to dissipative and stochastic magnetoelectronic phenomena, near and far from equilibrium, with particular emphasis on nonlinear current-induced dynamics and instabilities. (2) Spin orbit coupled quantum transport and correlations. The PI will develop a geometric description of spin-transport that includes spin-orbit coupling and will study localization and interference effects in low-dimensional systems, small rings, ring arrays, and Wigner crystals; edge and interfacial properties of spin transport; and semiclassical and quantum spin Hall effects. The PI will also explore more broadly quantum geometric and correlation effects in nanostructures, with a focus on fictitious gauge fields in solid-state media and the interplay between spintronic, magnetic, elastic, and optical phenomena. The PI will collaborate with industry on problems of dissipation, stochastic dynamics, and current-driven instabilities in magnetic systems, as well as new magnetoelectronic device concepts.The education component of this award will build on the already successful outreach program run by the California NanoSystems Institute at the UCLA, which works with Los Angeles public schools, promoting the ideas and excitement of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the Los Angeles unified school district. A theoretical nanoscience component will be developed for the UCLA REU program, offering students a program where they can study, simulate, and optimize magnetoelectronic circuits, while also collaborating with experimentalists and engineers on the UCLA campus. The broad scope of this field is very well suited for designing a new nanoscience course for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in physics and engineering. Collaborations with industry will be initiated on problems of dissipation, stochastic dynamics, and current-driven instabilities in magnetic systems, as well as new magnetoelectronic device concepts. NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThis CAREER award supports integrated theoretical research and education with an aim to develop a better fundamental understanding of new phenomena that arise because of the intrinsic magnetic properties of an electron in a material. In an important sense an electron is like a tiny spinning top with an electric charge. The spin of the electron is intimately connected to the electron being also like a tiny magnet. The ability to manipulate the electron?s spin enables a new kind of electronic device that utilizes not only the electron charge, like conventional electronic devices, but also its spin. The research supported by this award contributes to the intellectual foundation upon which this new technology called ?spintronics? will rest through theoretical research to understand and control how spin moves through materials and to predict interesting phenomena that arise as a consequence. Spintronic devices may be more energy efficient and may enable continued successful rapid miniaturization of devices accompanied by enhanced performance that has stimulated the American electronics industry for decades.The education component of this award will build on the already successful outreach program run by the California NanoSystems Institute at the UCLA, which works with Los Angeles public schools, promoting the ideas and excitement of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the Los Angeles unified school district. A theoretical nanoscience component will be developed for the UCLA REU program, offering students a program where they can study, simulate, and optimize magnetoelectronic circuits, while also collaborating with experimentalists and engineers on the UCLA campus. The broad scope of this field is very well suited for designing a new nanoscience course for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in physics and engineering. Collaborations with industry will be initiated on problems of dissipation, stochastic dynamics, and current-driven instabilities in magnetic systems, as well as new magnetoelectronic device concepts.