Nanomagnetism at NIST

Nanomagnetics is the study of magnetic materials and devices on the nanoscale. It has a wide range of applications including electronics or spintronics, sensing, including biological sensing, medical treatments, and refrigeration. Many of these applications are based on the giant magnetoresistance effect, which occurs in nanometer thick multilayers. The 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg for their discovery of this effect due to its large commercial impact. Several NIST papers were referenced in the citation for the prize.

At NIST, nanomagnetics is researched and developed in many groups due to the variety of applications and of techniques used to study the behavior of magnetism on the nanoscale. These efforts serve a range of industries from magnetic recording and memory to biological applications of magnetic nanoparticles. A number of research project involve several groups bringing their different expertise to bear on problems that need multiple measurement techniques. This multidisciplinary research includes formal collaborations on developing high sensitivity magnetic field sensors, on developing measurements to address the origins of non-uniformity in magnetic nanostructure arrays, and on developing and characterizing high frequency spintronic devices.

Nanomagnetics research at NIST focuses on a number of different areas: Magnetic domains Magnetic dynamics Magnetic nanostructures Magnetic ultrathin films Magnetotransport Magnetic sensors Spin transfer torques Magnetic nanoparticles

Groups active in nanomagnetics research: Electron Physics Group The Surfaces and Interfaces Team Magnetic Materials Group Magnetics Group Micro/Nano Electronics Group Quantum Devices Group CMOS and Novel Devices Group Mathematical Modeling Group Quantum Processes and Metrology Group Nanoscale Reliability Group Biophysics Group

 

Date created: June 16, 2008
Updated: June 16, 2008
Contact: inquiries@nist.gov