A Platform to Develop and Utilise Characterisation Tools for Functional Magnetic Materials
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Magnetic materials have played an increasingly important role in our society. The Functional Magnetic Materials Group at Imperial College have developed a suite of novel characterisation tools over recent years. This proposal describes how with proper support we could utilise these tools to best effect in the study of materials important for application and develop key new tools as appropriate. The materials we aim to study during the course of the Platform grant fall into four main areas a) ultrathin film narrow gap semiconductors for magnetic sensor technology; b)superconducting materials for low field portable MRI technology; c) materials that allow the harnessing of electron spin d) materials for 300K magnetic refrigeration. The first areas are very much a part of what the group are currently doing however we want to incorporate the new elements such as strain measurements in our Hall probe and point contact facilities and nanoscale sensor fabrication. Our forward look for the group is in the areas of Spintronics and Magnetocalorics. In Spintronics we plan to develop new tools to harness and exploit spin in electrical materials mainly narrow gap semiconductors. Here again there will be an emphasis on nanofabrication of devices. Magnetocalorics is a very new area for the group and a very exciting one. Our characterisation capability is ideally suited to making a really important novel contribution here, particularly with access to higher resolution sensors that will come out of other parts of the program. Overall the group is well connected to a network of international collaborators and many of these have written letters of support for this proposal. It would be our aim to use the Platform in part to strengthen these links as well as seed new collaborations and explore new avenues for funding in Europe and with industrial collaborators.
People |
ORCID iD |
Lesley Cohen (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Adamopoulos G
(2010)
Spray-deposited Li-doped ZnO transistors with electron mobility exceeding 50 cm²/Vs.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Basso V
(2015)
Specific heat and entropy change at the first order phase transition of La(Fe-Mn-Si)13-H compounds
in Journal of Applied Physics
Boldrin D
(2017)
The role of competing magnetic interactions on the abnormal expansion properties in manganese antiperovskites, Mn 3+x A 1-x N ( A = Ni, Sn)
in Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Branford W
(2007)
Temperature insensitivity of the spin-polarization in Co 2 MnSi films on GaAs (001)
in New Journal of Physics
Branford WR
(2012)
Emerging chirality in artificial spin ice.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Bratko M
(2012)
History dependence of directly observed magnetocaloric effects in (Mn, Fe)As
in Applied Physics Letters
Bratko M
(2017)
Determining the first-order character of La ( Fe , Mn , Si ) 13
in Physical Review B
Brett DJ
(2010)
What happens inside a fuel cell? Developing an experimental functional map of fuel cell performance.
in Chemphyschem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry
Chattopadhyay M
(2012)
Study of the dynamical features of the austenite-martensite phase transition in the Ni50(Mn, 1%Fe)34In16 alloy using scanning Hall probe imaging
in Journal of Applied Physics
Chattopadhyay M
(2008)
Visual evidence of the magnetic glass state and its re-crystallization in Gd 5 Ge 4
in EPL (Europhysics Letters)
Duboviks V
(2013)
In-Operando Raman Spectroscopy Study of Passivation Effects on Ni-CGO Electrodes in CO 2 Electrolysis Conditions
in ECS Transactions
Duboviks V
(2015)
Carbon deposition behaviour in metal-infiltrated gadolinia doped ceria electrodes for simulated biogas upgrading in solid oxide electrolysis cells
in Journal of Power Sources
Gilbertson A
(2007)
Low-temperature Schottky barrier tunneling in In Sb / In x Al 1 - x Sb quantum well heterostructures
in Physical Review B
Gilbertson A
(2015)
Multifunctional semiconductor micro-Hall devices for magnetic, electric, and photo-detection
in Applied Physics Letters
Gilbertson A
(2011)
Ballistic transport effects in a sub-micron InSb quantum well cross structure
Kazakova O
(2010)
Ultrasmall particle detection using a submicron Hall sensor
in Journal of Applied Physics
Ladak S
(2010)
Direct observation of magnetic monopole defects in an artificial spin-ice system
in Nature Physics
Ladak S
(2011)
Direct observation and control of magnetic monopole defects in an artificial spin-ice material
in New Journal of Physics
Ladak S
(2012)
Disorder-independent control of magnetic monopole defect population in artificial spin-ice honeycombs
in New Journal of Physics
Ladak S
(2011)
Monopole defects and magnetic Coulomb blockade
in New Journal of Physics
Li J
(2012)
Transverse focusing of spin-polarized photocurrents
in Physical Review B
Li J
(2012)
Observation of spin dependent photocoductivity in InSb quantum well nanowires
in Applied Physics Letters
Litvinenko K
(2007)
Spin Dynamics in Narrow-Gap Semiconductor Epitaxial Layers
in Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism
Description | This grant was a platform grant designed to enable the group to develop bespoke characterisation tools for magnetic materials. We developed an ac calorimeter that was transferred to a UK based company, and Hall probe scanner that is still under discussion regarding transfer to a company for commercial use. Apart from these measurable impacts the tools developed within the grant enabled us to provide insight into the development of new materials for magnetocalorics, for energy efficient magnetic solid state cooling (or heating) applications. |
Exploitation Route | We have worked with a number of companies in the area of magnetocalorics to help them to characterise their materials and develop new materials. |
Sectors | Electronics Energy |
URL | https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/l.cohen/research.html |
Description | This platform grant facilitated our research into a number of new areas related to electronic materials, sensors and magnetic solid state cooling. |
First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
Sector | Energy |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £3,863,046 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/G060940/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2009 |
End | 03/2015 |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £401,242 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/F065922/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2008 |
End | 08/2011 |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £611,749 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/J014699/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2012 |
End | 10/2015 |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £98,621 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/F016271/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2008 |
End | 09/2011 |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £445,842 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/H040048/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2010 |
End | 03/2013 |