| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/N64762/01 |
| Title: |
OPTIMISATION OF IRON OXIDE FILMS FOR USE IN MAGNETORESISTIVE DEVICES |
| Principal Investigator: |
Thornton, Professor G |
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| Department: |
Chemistry |
| Organisation: |
Victoria University of Manchester, The |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
29 December 2000 |
Ends: |
28 December 2002 |
Value (£): |
129,025
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
Materials Synthesis & Growth |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The ultimate aim is to achieve a spin value structure with a high room temperature magnetroressistance (MR) at low field. Fe3O4 should be a very suitable material to achieve this due to its half metallicity, which theoretically offers an infinite MR ratio. Several other studies of (001) oriented films have, however, exhibited very small MR ratios due to a complicated magnetic structure at their interfaces. Here we propose spin value structures based upon (111) oriented Fe3O4 films with Alpha-Fe2O3 (0001) as the pinning layer. We will optimise the growth conditions for epitaxial Fe3O4 and Alpha-Fe2O3 films on Al2O3 (0001) substrates for high crystallographic quality and suitable physical and magnetic properties. The Latter depends on stoichiometry and includes (for Fe3O4) the conductivity and surface spin-polarisation at room temperature. The Exchange biasing fields due to our suggested pinning layer will be examine as a function of Aplah-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 film-Thickness with a view to finding a suitable pinning field. A search for a suitable non-magnetic tunnelling barrier will be initiated with studies of the thickness dependence of magnetic coupling across expitaxial Alpha-Al203 (0001) layers. When optimised conditions have been found, we will fabricate spin value structures ad measure their magneto-resistive properties.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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Impacts |
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| Description |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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