MRI: Acquisition of a VersaLab Physical Property Measurement System at University of the District of Columbia

纳米技术的进步需要能够表征诸如用于先进计算的磁性设备和诸如太阳能电池的能量收集设备之类的设备。多功能的物理特性测量系统提供了这种所需的能力。该仪器是一个模块的组装，可以测量磁和热特性。其范围可以通过增加电学和光学特性测量功能来扩展，从而增加其多功能性。因此，它是对各种纳米材料和器件进行尖端研究的有力资源。该仪器将被放置在哥伦比亚哥伦比亚特区大学（UDC），一个历史悠久的黑人学院和大学（HBCU）。该仪器是一种经济和高功能的材料表征资源，UDC履行其使命，提供21世纪的培训，以各种各样的学生就读于学士学位，通过博士课程。所要求的仪器将帮助高度精力充沛和热情的教师建立一个卓越的纳米技术中心。学生将与国家实验室合作，如国家标准与技术研究所以及区域合作机构。这种仪器将有助于UDC吸引和留住多样化的学生群体，让他们参与高回报的研究项目。它还将促进学生在纳米技术研究生和本科课程中的探究式学习。UDC还将为该地区的高中教师和学生提供体验式学习体验。VersaLab物理性质测量系统（VPPMS）将通过提供三个非常有用的模块来实现尖端的多学科研究：（i）振动样品磁强计（VSM），（ii）热容测量，和（iii）铁磁共振（FMR）。这三个模块将用于研究在50- 400 K温度范围内的磁和热性质。UDC团队将利用VSM和FMR模块研究分子自旋电子器件和磁性超材料。VSM和FMR模块对于理解两个铁磁电极之间磁性分子诱导的交换耦合的作用至关重要。他们还将利用VPPMS研究铁磁电极的各向异性和阻尼因子，以了解基于磁性分子的自旋电子器件和磁性超材料的机理。此外，VPPMS将用于检测基于黄铁矿的太阳能电池材料中的工艺诱导磁相，并将黄铁矿的磁性分布与所得太阳能电池特性相关联。VPPMS还可以绘制50 K至400 K温度范围内的热激活特性变化，以研究制造高效太阳能电池的科学。在其他工作中，VPPMS的热容模块将增强对纳米乳液相及其热容之间关系的理解，以产生纳米级材料作为先进冷却的热交换器。来自美国天主教大学的合作者将使用该VPPMS来创建关于新型Heusler合金的温度依赖性动态磁化响应的新知识。的VPPMS将被用来提高镍膜为基础的多层热电器件的磁性能的影响的品质因数的理解。总的来说，该仪器项目所支持的研究有可能在未来纳米计算机设备、新型磁性超材料以及能量收集和能量转换材料等领域提供变革性的知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Advances in nanotechnology require the ability to characterize devices such as magnetic devices for advanced computing and energy harvesting devices such as solar cells. A versatile physical property measurement system provides this needed capability. The instrument is an assembly of modules that can measure magnetic and thermal properties. Its scope can be expanded by adding electrical and optical property measurement capabilities, increasing its versatility. Hence, it is a potent resource to perform cutting-edge research on a wide range of nanoscale materials and devices. This instrument will be placed at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), a historically black college and university (HBCU). The instrument is an economical and highly functional material characterization resource for UDC to fulfill its mission of providing 21st-century training to a diverse range of students enrolled in bachelors through doctoral programs. The requested instrumentation will help the highly energetic and enthusiastic faculty to establish a center of excellence in nanotechnology. Students will collaborate with national laboratories such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology as well as regional partner institutions. This instrumentation will help UDC to attract and retain a diverse student population by engaging them in highly rewarding research projects. It will also foster inquiry-based student learning in graduate and undergraduate courses in nanotechnology. UDC will also provide experiential learning experiences to the high school teachers and students in the area.The VersaLab Physical Property Measurement System (VPPMS) will enable cutting edge multidisciplinary research by providing access to three highly useful modules: (i) vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), (ii) heat capacity measurement, and (iii) ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). These three modules will be utilized for investigating the magnetic and thermal properties over a 50-400K temperature range. The UDC team will investigate molecular spintronics devices and magnetic metamaterials by utilizing the VSM and FMR modules. VSM and FMR modules will be crucial to understanding the role of magnetic molecule induced exchange coupling between two ferromagnetic electrodes. They will also utilize the VPPMS to investigate the anisotropy and damping factor of the ferromagnetic electrodes in order to understand the mechanism of magnetic molecule based spintronics devices and magnetic metamaterials. Additionally, the VPPMS will be used to detect the process induced magnetic phases in the pyrite based solar cell materials and will correlate the magnetic profile of pyrites with the resulting solar cell properties. The VPPMS can also map the thermally activated property changes over the temperature range of 50K to 400K to investigate the science of creating highly efficient solar cells. In other work, the heat capacity module of the VPPMS will enhance understanding of the relation between the nanoemulsion phases and their heat capacity to yield nanoscale materials as a heat exchanger for advanced cooling. Collaborators from Catholic University of America will use this VPPMS to create new knowledge about the temperature dependent dynamic magnetization responses from the novel Heusler alloys. The VPPMS will be used to enhance the understanding of the impact of magnetic properties of nickel film based multilayer thermoelectric devices on the figure of merit. Overall, the research enabled by this instrumentation project has the potential to provide transformative knowledge in the areas of futuristic nanoscale computer devices, novel magnetic metamaterials, and materials for energy harvesting and energy conversion.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.