Research

We maintain a diversified research effort in the area of electromagnetic materials physics encompassing spintronics and spin orbitronics, high frequency soft magnetic materials, and nanostructured magnetic materials. Our objectives are to use physics to design and understand materials and heterostructures, and find potential applications based on these materials and heterostructures.  Our state of the art facilities afford many opportunities for material fabrication and characterization. To further enhance our capabilities, we continuously foster collaborations with research programs, both within the United States and abroad.  Our Research areas include:

  1. Spintronics and spin orbitronics: We explore the spin degree of freedom of electrons in additional to, and sometimes in place of, the charge degree of freedom of electrons in magnetic materials and magnetic heterostructures.  We also investigate how to use spin orbit coupling to control spin dynamics and magnetization switching.
  2. High frequency soft magnetic materials/soft magnetic composites: We develop high frequency, high power, and low loss soft magnetic materials, soft magnetic composites, and nanostructured magnetic materials.
  3. Electromagnetic Properties of Nanostructured Magnetic Materials:  We design nanostructured magnetic materials to offer novel electromagnetic properties such as tunable ferromagnetic resonance, match magnetic permeability and permittivity, etc.

Research Capability

Electromagnetic Materials Research Laboratory has a wide range of facilities to support research in spintronics and spin orbitronics, high frequency soft magnetic materials, and electromagnetic properties of nanostructured magnetic materials.   Major facilities include

  1. Magnetron Sputtering System: Fabrication films and multilayers of metal, oxide, nitrides etc, as well as magnetic tunnel junctions with Al2O3 and MgO barriers.
  2. Electrospinning System and Electrochemical deposition: Fabrication of nanostructured magnetic materials of nanofibers, nanowire array, nanotubes, and porous materials.
  3. X-Ray Diffraction: Structural Analyses
  4. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM): hysteresis loop measurement of magnetic materials.
  5. Hysteresis Loop Tracer: hysteresis loop measurement of high frequency soft magnetic materials, soft magnetic composites, and nanostructured magnetic materials.
  6. Magneto Optic Kerr Rotation (MOKE):  hysteresis loop, spin torque in both DC and time-domain measurement.
  7. High Frequency and Microwave Characterization Suite:  dielectric permeability and magnetic permeability spectra, ferromagnetic resonance spectrum, spin waves, spin torque transfer ferromagnetic resonance, spin pumping, microwave transmission and reflection.
  8. Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS): electro-transport and magneto-transport, DC magnetization, AC susceptibility.

University Center Facility

  1. University of Delaware Nanofabrication Facility: state-of-the-art clean room facility.
  2. Keck Center for Advaced Miscroscopy and Microanalysis:  TEM, Focus Ion Beam (FIB), SEM, etc.
  3. Advance Materials Characterization Lab:  Variety of instrument for material characterization.