Research

Research Areas

The main focus in our lab is the study of nanomagnetism, broadly defined, both from a fundamental perspective and also with an eye towards potential applications.  Generally, our investigations involve thin films and heterostructures, magnetic nanoparticles and other nanostructures.  The thin film research is relevant to the field of spintronics, which seeks to amplify the capabilities of conventional electronics by harnessing the intrinsic spin and orbital angular momentum of electrons.  

Research into nanoparticles and other nanostructures has potential applications for biomedical theranostics (diagnostic + therapeutic uses), magnetic sensing, coatings for microwave applications, and other uses.  We both work collaboratively with other research groups and also deposit / synthesize our own samples. 

nano

We are also keenly interested in magnetization dynamics, which typically encompasses timescales from nanoseconds (10-9 s) to femtoseconds (10-15 s).  These are the timescales relevant for fundamental interactions and excitations (exchange interactions, Stoner excitations, spin-lattice relaxation, damping and energy loss mechanisms).  We investigate these phenomena with a range of tools spanning the microwave portion of the spectrum; high-frequency ferromagnetic resonance (FMR); laser-based ultrafast visible, near-IR, and extreme ultraviolet systems; and time-resolved x-ray methods. 

spinwaves


Also, an emphasis of our lab is the use advanced materials characterization techniques which can only be accomplished at large scale scientific user facilities (LSSUFs) such as synchrotrons and neutron scattering centers.  We employ specialized techniques such as x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray microscopy, polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR), and small angle neutron scattering (SANS).  Over the past ten years, some of the LSSUFs we have used include the Advanced Photon Source (Argonne National Lab, Argonne, IL), Advanced Light Source (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkely, CA), BESSY-II (Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Germany), Diamond Light Source (Didcot, UK), NIST Center for Neutron Research (NIST- Gaithersburg, MD) , Spallation Neutron Source (Oak Ridge National Lab, TN), and the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (STFC Rutherford Appleton Lab, UK).