The Center for Emergent Materials (CEM) performs innovative multidisciplinary science focused on discovery and engineering of emergent materials to enable novel phenomena and phases. CEM research improves understanding and control of magnetism in novel materials and materials systems, and explores emergent electronic and magnetic phenomena. Interdisciplinary teams of faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers address the multi-faceted scientific issues this challenge presents by integrating materials synthesis/growth, characterization, novel probe development, and theory and modeling.
CEM seeks to enhance the strong scientific community essential to the future of this endeavor through vigorous engagement in improving participation by the relatively untapped resources of women and underrepresented minorities. CEM’s programs integrate the excitement and potential of the Center’s research into public outreach and education programs that dovetail with recruitment and teaching of diverse communities at all levels—from K-12 students extending through undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs.
Brochure
Creation and Control of Metal/Magnetic-Insulator Interfaces
The development of novel magnetic systems enabling fast, efficient control of magnetic states is essential to advancing next-generation spin-electronics. IRG-1 is exploring a highly promising approach utilizing little-explored magnetic structures founded on insulating magnets and innovative means of controlling spins. This multidisciplinary team will establish a new regime for the creation and understanding of novel static/dynamic magnetic phases and multipronged control of the magnetic states in interface-driven metal/magnetic insulator systems.
Goals:
This IRG will advance the development of MI interfacial platforms, provide insights into the charge and spin dynamics down to the fs/as time scales, and achieve novel control of the magnetic states, which will be made available to the research community.
The team brings together diverse, multidisciplinary expertise including atomic-molecular-optical and condensed matter physics, chemistry, and materials sciences and engineering, to provide a rich collaborative environment in which graduate, undergraduate students, and postdocs perform cutting-edge, team-based research. CEM students and postdocs will benefit tremendously from this center-wide community, in which they develop collaboration and leadership skills.
IRG-1 members have a strong record of actively engaging students from underrepresented minority groups in research, including those from OSU, the REU program, and community colleges. IRG-1 PIs play important roles in the OSU Physics Bridge Program in recruiting and advising the Bridge students. The supportive and collaborative environment within CEM will help Bridge students overcome the barriers in course work and research and improves their sense of belonging.
Topology and Fractionalization in Magnetic Materials
Topology, best understood for weakly interacting electrons, implies robust protection ofelectronic properties. Magnetism, on the other hand, arises fundamentally from strong interactions. An urgent and tantalizing question is whether topological protection can arise in magnetic systems, since achieving precise control over the magnetic properties of solids is a long-standing problem with critical applications for both spintronics and quantum information. IRG-2 seeks to establish a new paradigm for topological phases in strongly correlated magnetic materials.
IRG-2’s materials synthesis and crystal growth programs will generate a new class of magnetic materials for the condensed matter community, with great potential impacts on science and our national competitiveness.
New algorithms and software developed within this proposal to search for topological magnetic materials will be internet accessible, leading to improvements in the computer-aided design of materials in physics, chemistry, and materials communities.
All members of IRG-2 will engage fully in CEM diversity and outreach programs. Valdés-Aguilar, the CEM REU Director and Bridge Program steering committee member, and Trivedi, the faculty lead of the Scientific Thinkers program, will take leadership roles. Also, during the course of the work, they plan to include these topics in a CEM organized international conference.
