Epitaxial Ceramic Nanocomposites by Design

非技术描述：通过在传统制造工艺中加入新的陶瓷材料，可以提高电子设备的性能。磁性和铁电材料特别有吸引力，因为它们能够存储和处理数据，而且与传统的半导体设备不同，即使在没有电力的情况下，信息也能被保存下来。这项研究正在开发具有纳米级精确定制结构和诱人的磁、光和电性能的新型复合氧化物材料，可用于新型微电子存储器或逻辑器件，或具有设计孔隙率的滤膜。研究生正在接受跨学科科学和工程领域的培训，包括材料设计、测量和建模，这为他们在高科技部门就业做好了准备。技术细节：电子和磁性设备的增强功能的途径是通过使用新的材料和结构，特别是氧化物材料表现出广泛的高度可调的磁、光和电性能。在这项研究中，氧化物纳米结构是通过自组装创建的，由两种具有精确工程纳米几何形状的不同材料组成。由于两相在界面上的耦合，纳米复合材料的性质与单个块体材料的性质不同，并且可以通过两相的组成、晶体结构、尺寸、形状和界面几何形状进行调节。通过适当的材料选择和设计，这些纳米复合材料可以表现出单相材料所没有或难以调制的激动人心的性能，包括界面的高导电性、增强的铁电性和磁电耦合。这项研究的总体目标是开发设计合成陶瓷纳米复合材料的策略，其中可以控制两相的形态和三维排列，探索其性能，开发器件应用和制造策略(包括与半导体制造兼容的生长方法)。这些材料可用于新型微电子存储器或逻辑器件，或具有设计好的孔隙率的滤膜。这项研究正在为学生提供跨学科STEM领域的培训，这些领域包括薄膜加工、材料表征以及结构、应变和电子性能的建模。在这个项目中，正在开发在线教育材料，并通过名为纳米观察站的活动进行公众宣传，在该活动中展示了光刻和显微镜。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The capabilities of electronic devices can be improved by incorporating new ceramic materials into the traditional manufacturing process. Magnetic and ferroelectric materials are particularly appealing because they enable data to be stored and manipulated, and unlike conventional semiconductor devices, the information is preserved even without power. This research is developing new composite oxide materials with precisely tailored structures on the nanoscale and attractive magnetic, optical and electronic properties that could be used in applications such as new types of microelectronic memory or logic devices, or filtration membranes with designed porosity. Graduate students are being trained in interdisciplinary science and engineering fields including materials design, measurement, and modeling, which prepares them for employment in the high-tech sector. TECHNICAL DETAILS: The route to enhanced functionality in electronic and magnetic devices occurs through the use of new materials and structures, and oxide materials in particular exhibit a wide range of highly tunable magnetic, optical and electronic properties. In this research, oxide nanostructures are being created by self-assembly, consisting of two different materials with precisely engineered nanoscale geometries. The properties of the nanocomposites differ qualitatively from those of the individual bulk materials due to coupling of the two phases at the interfaces and can be tuned via the composition, crystal structure, size, shape and interface geometry of the two phases. Through appropriate materials selection and design, these nanocomposites can display exciting properties including high conduction at interfaces, enhanced ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric coupling that are either absent or difficult to modulate in single-phase materials. The overall goal of the research is to develop strategies to synthesize ceramic nanocomposites by design, in which the morphology and 3D arrangement of the two phases can be controlled, their properties are explored, and device applications and manufacturing strategies (including growth methods compatible with semiconductor fabrication) are developed. These materials may be used in applications such as new types of microelectronic memory or logic devices, or filtration membranes with designed porosity. The research is training students in interdisciplinary STEM fields that span thin film processing, materials characterization, and modeling of structure, strain and electronic properties. Within this project, online educational materials are being developed and public outreach is being conducted through an activity called the NanoObservatory, in which lithography and microscopy are demonstrated.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.