Highlights
May 31, 2007
Johns Hopkins University
A New Generation of Spintronic Devices: MgO Magnetic Tunneling Junctions
We developed a low-pressure magnetron sputtering technique together with the linear dynamic deposition method and successfully fabricated a new type of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) with (001) textured MgO barrier. We are the only US university to have achieved this success as of April 2007.
May 31, 2007
Johns Hopkins University
Secondary Teacher Interacting with Materials Professors Strikes Gold
Background: The JHU MRSEC conducts extensive K-12 educational outreach programs aimed at promoting interest in and awareness of the importance of modern materials research. The MRSEC's Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program provides high school teacher the opportunity to conduct research in MRSEC and to use the MRSEC's resources for the development of classroom modules or other materials.
May 31, 2007
Johns Hopkins University
Domains and Domain Wall Motion in Perpendicular Anisotropy Materials
Magnetic thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have special attributes for explorations and perpendicular magnetic recording. We have observed three hitherto unknown new features in materials with PMA:
1. Asymmetrical domain nucleation centers that produce domains for only one magnetization direction (Fig. 1).
2. The backward domain wall motion of the asymmetrical nucleation centers is much faster than that of the forward motion.
3. Magnetic domains with a fixed boundary but fading contrast.
May 30, 2007
University of Maryland - College Park
Molecular Nano-Ring Beats Like a Chime
Chenggang Tao, T. Stasevich, W.G. Cullen, T.L. Einstein and E.D. Williams
Perfect rings of C60 molecules, lined up around circular layers of silver, reveal an important property of nanoelectronic contacts: thermal energy causes the structures to fluctuate. The movement of the molecules in the rings is captured by making repeated ("time-lapse") STM images.
May 30, 2007
University of Maryland - College Park
Novel multiferroic thin film memory devices
Electric-field tunable spin valves are being investigated
Exchange bias at ferromagnet/multiferroic interfaces has been studied for various thin film and bulk multiferroics including BiFeO3, TbMnO3, LuMnO3, and Cr2O3. Tunable spin valve structures are being explored. Magnetoresistance devices using BiFeO3 as the exchange biasing layer have been demonstrated.
May 30, 2007
University of Maryland - College Park
Discovery of a Pb-free morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in a high Tc piezoelectric perovskite
Piezoeletric materials are used for a variety of actuator and sensor applications. Finding a Pb-free replacement for the popular Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 has been a major challenge for the community.
May 18, 2007
Magnetic Tubules: Cellular Tracks Follow the Field
Motor proteins deliver intracellular cargo to specific locations inside cells. These so-called kinesin motors take 8 nm steps along intracellular highways 25 nm wide called microtubules. This transport machinery can be reassembled outside the cell and used to transport nanoscale cargo for separations, sensors, assembly, and other bio-mechanical devices.
May 18, 2007
Nano Rotor: Molecular Spin and Slide
Scaling functional machines down to the molecular scale is a key challenge in nanoscale science and technology. However, coaxing individual molecules into performing well-defined mechanical tasks requires radically different strategies than those used to build familiar macroscopic machines like electrical motors.
May 18, 2007
Microinsertion: Placement, Isolation and Patterning
Normally, well, flaws are bad. But through a newly developed technique of microcontact insertion printing, Penn State researchers can use the flaws in a selfassembled monolayer to place individual isolated molecules in predetermined patterns on a gold substrate. A self-assembled monolayer is a tightly packed wellordered array of molecules covering a surface, all tilted to one side like a cornfield in a windstorm.
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