CAREER: Van der Waals heterostructures of magnetic oxide membranes

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。非技术摘要：金属氧化物具有令人难以置信的广泛物理性质，包括磁性，金属/绝缘体转变，铁电性和超导性。氧化物异质结构，由薄膜外延合成的多层薄膜组成，经常通过界面不同的材料来适应新的奇异现象。该研究旨在通过机械堆叠独立几何形状的氧化物膜来设计一种新型的氧化物异质结构。堆叠的氧化物膜在设计界面磁性方面提供了许多有趣的组合，这对未来的信息技术是有用的。这个职业项目还旨在将研究与涉及K-12，本科生和研究生的教育和推广活动相结合。结合的研究教育活动的目标是培养下一代干劳动力来自不同的文化背景，特别是在量子材料和凝聚态物理领域。技术摘要：机械组装的货车德瓦尔斯（vdW）异质结构的氧化物膜在设计新的复杂的氧化物材料不受外延条件的限制具有巨大的潜力。理解这种氧化物vdW界面的基本性质在设计新的量子基态中是至关重要的。CAREER项目的重点是磁性氧化物膜的vdW异质结构。该研究旨在了解在氧化物vdW界面形成的非常规磁性基态，其中交换相互作用，自旋轨道耦合和莫尔晶格经过精心设计，以操纵奇异的拓扑电磁结构。主要的实验活动包括材料合成，异质结构组装，电子和磁性表征，以及使用光谱学和局部磁力学的合作努力。新材料合成和多种表征方法的结合，以理论计算为指导，为理解氧化物vdW界面处的新兴磁性结构提供了深刻的见解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).Non-Technical Abstract:Metal oxides exhibit an incredibly broad range of physical properties including magnetism, metal/insulator transitions, ferroelectricity, and superconductivity. Oxide heterostructures, consisting of multi-layer thin films synthesized by thin-film epitaxy, often accommodate new exotic phenomena by interfacing dissimilar materials. The proposed research aims to design a new type of oxide heterostructures by mechanically stacking oxide membranes of freestanding geometry. The stacked oxide membranes offer a number of interesting combinations in designing interfacial magnetic properties which can be useful for future information technologies. This CAREER project also aims to integrate the research with education and outreach activities involving K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students. The combined research-education activity targets training the next generation STEM workforce from diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly in the field of quantum materials and condensed matter physics.Technical Abstract:Mechanically assembled van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures of oxide membranes hold an enormous potential in designing new complex oxide materials not limited by epitaxial conditions. Understanding fundamental properties of such oxide vdW interfaces is crucial in designing novel quantum ground states. The CAREER project focuses on vdW heterostructures of magnetic oxide membranes. The research aims to understand unconventional magnetic ground states formed at the oxide vdW interface, where exchange interaction, spin-orbit coupling, and Moiré lattices are carefully designed to manipulate exotic topological electromagnetic structures. The main experimental activities involve materials synthesis, heterostructure assembly, electronic and magnetic characterizations, and collaborative efforts using optical spectroscopy and local magnetometry. The combination of new materials synthesis and multiple characterization approaches, guided by theoretical calculations, provides profound insight to understand the emergent magnetic structures at oxide vdW interfaces.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.