What is our logo?
Our MRSEC logo shows the arrangement of atoms at the surface of a crystal. Crystals are made up of layers, or "planes" of atoms, perfectly stacked in an ordered pattern. Because this surface has been cut at a slight angle to the crystal planes, it appears "stepped" (we call this type of surface a vicinal surface). Modern scanned-probe microscopes, such as the STM, allow us to see the atoms at the surface of a crystal, producing images very similar to this one.

University of Maryland

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

Industrial and National Lab Outreach

National Laboratory Outreach

• Self Assembly of Nanodevices for Homeland Security Applications: Laboratory for Physical Science
  Collaborators: E.D. Williams*, H.D. Drew*, M.S. Fuhrer*, R. Gomez, D. Hines, S.B. Lee, R. Phaneuf*, D. Romero, G. Rubloff* and V. Ballarotto, W. Herman, P. Kolb, W. Vanderlinde.
  This collaboration is focused on developing key technology solutions for rapid systems fabrication on nontraditional substrates, such as thin film plastics, using non-traditional materials such as organic semiconductors, nanotubes, conducting polymers, etc. We anticipate that advances in this field will ultimately yield small concealable systems that incorporate power harvesting, sensing, information processing and information exfiltration.
  * MRSEC co-I’s or Seed-fund recipients
• Imaging Metamaterials with Near Field Scanning Microscopy (NSOM): Laboratory for Physical Sciences
  Collaborators: P. Kolb, B. Palmer, B. Vanderlinde, D. Schmadel, H.D. Drew
  The goal of this work is to probe materials, metamaterials and plasmonic devices on the 30 nanometer scale. This collaboration has developed the capability for NSOM at low temperatures (2 K to 400 K), high magnetic fields (15 T). High throughput polarization preserving NSOM tips have been developed that enable optical imaging to a spatial resolution of 30 nm. This effort is being funded through LPS at the level of approximately $200,000 per year.
• Raman and Photoluminescence studies of magnetic transition metal oxides: Laboratory for Physical Sciences
  Collaborators: D. Romero (LPS), A. Sushkov and H.D. Drew (UMD-MRSEC)
  This research collaboration is focused on understanding the electronic structure of magnetic transition metal oxides from Raman and micro-Raman and photoluminescence and micro-photoluminescence studies using the spectroscopic facilities at LPS.
• Optical Spectroscopy of metal oxide materials: Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA
  Collaborators: M. Quijada (NASA), A. Sushkov, J. Simpson, and H.D. Drew (UMD-MRSEC) This collaboration is focused on the exploration of the optical properties of novel transition metal oxide materials for optical applications.
• Raman Studies of Ferroelectric Thin Films: NIST, Optical Technology Division
  Collaborators: D. Romero / R. Datla (NIST) and H. D. Drew (UMD-MRSEC)
  This research collaboration is focused on understanding the structural and defect properties of epitaxial ferroelectric and magnetic oxide thin films using the Raman scattering capability at NIST, such as the microscopic origins of hydrogen damage. Results have been published.
• Neutron diffraction studies of magnetic oxides: NIST, Physics Division
  Collaborators: J. Lynn (NIST) and R.L. Greene (UMD-MRSEC)
  This project focuses on the use of neutron scattering techniques to understand the structural and magnetic properties of the magnetic oxide thin films and bulk materials studied in IRG3. The post-doc involved in this project will be paid 50% by MRSEC and 50% by NIST.
• Single crystal Si wafers for metrology: NIST, Metrology Division
  Collaborators: R. Silver (NIST) and E.D. Williams (UMD-MRSEC)
  Atomic scale features on Si surfaces are under development as vertical and lateral calibration standards for nanometrology. Previous results from this work have resulted in ASTM standard E 2530-06. NIST support is approximately $45,000 per year.
• Resonant X-ray scattering: Brookhaven National Labs
  Collaborators: J. Hill (BNL) and S. Cheong / V. Kiryukhin (UMD-MRSEC)
  The resonant x-ray scattering technique is being used to study magnetic and ferroelectric order in multiferroic single crystals (Liryukhin/Cheong). The results are being used to determine the correlations between the magnetic and ferroelectric order on the atomic scale.
• Exchange bias in multiferroic thin films: NIST, Neutron Center
  Collaborators: B. Kirby (NIST) and I. Takeuchi (UMD-MRSEC)
  Thin film reflectometry is being used to probe the magnetic properties of exchange biased ferromagnetic/multiferroic bilayer systems.
• Piezocantilever based MEMS devices: Army Research Lab
  Collaborators: R. Polkawich (ARL) and I. Takeuchi (UMD-MRSEC)
  Materials properties of PZT based MEMS actuators devices are being characterized. Improved piezoelectric properties are developed sol-gel derived thin fim structures.
• Combinatorial experimentation and crystallographic databases: NIST, Ceramics Division
  Collaborators: V. Karen (NIST) and I. Takeuchi (UMD-MRSEC)
  Rapid mapping techniques are being developed for determining the structural phase distribution across ternary composition spreads. The NIST crystallographic database is used as a quick cross-reference of all known phases. The recent work was published in Review of Scientific Instruments 78, 072217 (2007).
• Combinatorial development of CMOS materials: NIST, Ceramics Division
  Collaborators: M. Green (NIST) and I. Takeuchi (UMD-MRSEC)
  Ternary composition spread techniques are used to rapidly map and identify new gate-electrode materials for next generation CMOS devices. Most recent work was published in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 55, 2641 (2008).
• Microstructural investigation of magnetostrictive materials: NIST, Metallurgy Division
  Collaborators: L. Bendersky (NIST) and I. Takeuchi (UMD-MRSEC)
  High-resolution transmission electron microscopy is performed on magnetostrictive materials. Previously, this work played an important role in figuring out the effect of microstructure on magnetostrictive properties of FeGa films. These films are being used to develop multiferroic devices. This work was published in Applied Physics Letters 93, 102507 (2008).