GOALI: Phase Separated Ferromagnetic Metal - Metal Oxide/Hydroxide Nanomaterials as a Transformative Concept for Magnetic Field Sensors

University Of Houston, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the magnetoresistance of the nanocontacts made of the novel phase-separated ferromagnetic metal-metal oxide/hydroxide nanomaterials. The approach is to build, test and study prototype nanocontact devices having different and well characterized material structures. These devices will be built using bottom-up fabrication scheme with nanocontact structures varying from single crystal nickel or iron to the nanocontact having ferromagnetic matrix with certain fraction of metal-oxide/hydroxide phase. Intellectual Merit The proposed research addresses the feasibility of ferromagnetic metal-metal oxide/hydroxide nanomaterials synthesized in the nanoelectrode geometry configuration as novel approach for fabrication of magnetic field sensors. This project will establish the fundamental relationship between the size and material structure of ferromagnetic nanocontacts and their magnetoresistance. Broader Impact The proposed research program represents a multidisciplinary effort which has a large transformative potential for development of future magnetic field sensors for magnetic recording, magnetic imaging, spintronics and magnetic biosensor technologies. The new knowledge created in this project will be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate curriculum of nanotechnology and nanofabrication courses at the University of Houston and it will become a part of the broad educational outreach through the Electrochemical Society's short course instructed by PI. This work will provide the training for three doctoral students and for several high school teachers and undergraduate students involved in the summer research programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The students involved in this project will have a chance to get the training and to work in industrial research environment through the internships provided by the Seagate Technology.