REU Site: in Magnetics

Non-Technical Abstract:

Funded by the Division of Materials Research, the REU Site in Magnetics at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) plans to provide enhanced research experience for undergraduate students in magnetics at VCU. There are several faculty members at VCU whose primary research focus is magnetics, covering topics ranging from skyrmions and neuromorphic computing in spintronics to magnetic neuromodulation and hyperthermia cancer treatment in biomagnetics.

Students will be recruited from US universities, mainly focusing on the East Coast. In this proposal, VCU PI and co-PI have partnered with faculty members from Virginia Union University (VUU) and Virginia State University (VSU) in the Greater Richmond area to host 10 undergraduate students for 10 weeks in the summer. Students will also spend one week at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gaithersburg, Harvard University, Boston, and at Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), Petersburg, VA, conducting various experiments ranging from neutron diffraction to brain stimulation.

Additionally, REU students will visit Micron Technologies Inc. in Virginia to gain insight into nanofabrication facilities that are currently used in the computer industry. Technical Abstract:

The REU Site in Magnetics at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) consists of 12 faculty members from VCU, VUU, and VSU and will host 10 REU students in their labs. State-of-the-art micro and nanofabrication, bulk materials processing, and magnetic characterization facilities at Virginia Microelectronics Center (VMC), Material and Manufacturing Research Center (MMRC) and Nano Characterization Center (NCC) will be used in training the REU students.

These centers are located at the College of Engineering of VCU and have received several NSF Major Research Instrumentation awards. The topics of research that students undertake are 1. Voltage control of skyrmions and strain-mediated control of magnetism for energy-efficient non-volatile memory and synapses for neural networks. 2.

Development of spin wave nano-antenna and matrix multiplier for machine learning using magnetic tunnel junctions. 3. Multifunctional magnetic phase change composites for thermal management technologies. 4. Structural characterization of core-shell nanoparticles for exchange-spring permanent magnets. 5.

Strong exchange coupling of core-shell systems prepared by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. 6. Development of magnetocaloric nanoparticles for energy-efficient cooling devices. 7. Development of highly focal transcranial magnetic stimulation coils for small animals. 8.

Development of brain phantoms for validation of transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols. 9. Investigation of the relationship between magnetic properties of dust samples in Richmond City and high asthma rates. 10. Effect of neuroanatomy on motor evoked potentials after transcranial magnetic stimulation in tetraplegia patients. 11.

Fabrication and characterization of nanomagnetic devices for neuromorphic computing. 12. Investigation of the 3D printing process, magnetic and mechanical properties of the magnetic composite soft robots under applied magnetic field. The faculty members who are part of the proposal have significant experience in training undergraduate students in their research areas.

They have created a conducive environment to recruit diverse students and train them with both professional and research skills.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.