Jeongmin Hong

Effect of nitrophenyl functionalization on the magnetic properties of epitaxial graphene.

Graphene displays unprecedented electronic properties including room-temperature ballistic transport and quantum conductance, and because of its small spin-orbit interaction, graphene has the potential to function as the building block of future spintronic devices. Theoretical calculations indicate that a defective graphene sheet will be simultaneously semiconducting and magnetic; thus it would act as a room-temperature magnetic semiconductor. Recently, ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature has been observed by magnetometry measurements on bulk samples of reduced graphene oxide.

Switching of perpendicularly polarized nanomagnets with spin orbit torque without an external magnetic field by engineering a tilted anisotropy.

Significance When a spin orbit torque is applied to a magnet with perpendicular anisotropy, the induced spin accumulation is completely symmetric with respect to the magnetization. As a result, a deterministic switching cannot be achieved unless an external magnetic field is applied to break the symmetry. Here, we show that, by engineering a tilted anisotropy in a magnetic nanodot, the symmetry can effectively be broken and a deterministic switching of perpendicular magnetization can be achieved without needing the external magnetic field. These results are significant for the field of spintronics as the symmetry breaking provides new insight into the physics of spin orbit torque and the switching without a magnetic field could lead to significant impact in high-density storage applications. Spin orbit torque (SOT) provides an efficient way to significantly reduce the current required for switching nanomagnets. However, SOT generated by an in-plane current cannot deterministically switch a perpendicularly polarized magnet due to symmetry reasons. On the other hand, perpendicularly polarized magnets are preferred over in-plane magnets for high-density data storage applications due to their significantly larger thermal stability in ultrascaled dimensions. Here, we show that it is possible to switch a perpendicularly polarized magnet by SOT without needing an external magnetic field. This is accomplished by engineering an anisotropy in the magnets such that the magnetic easy axis slightly tilts away from the direction, normal to the film plane. Such a tilted anisotropy breaks the symmetry of the problem and makes it possible to switch the magnet deterministically. Using a simple Ta/CoFeB/MgO/Ta heterostructure, we demonstrate reversible switching of the magnetization by reversing the polarity of the applied current. This demonstration presents a previously unidentified approach for controlling nanomagnets with SOT.

Room-temperature magnetic ordering in functionalized graphene.

Despite theoretical predictions, the question of room-temperature magnetic order in graphene must be conclusively resolved before graphene can fully achieve its potential as a spintronic medium. Through scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and point I-V measurements, the current study reveals that unlike pristine samples, graphene nanostructures, when functionalized with aryl radicals, can sustain magnetic order. STM images show 1-D and 2-D periodic super-lattices originating from the functionalization of a single sub-lattice of the bipartite graphene structure. Field-dependent super-lattices in 3-nm wide “zigzag” nanoribbons indicate local moments with parallel and anti-parallel ordering along and across the edges, respectively. Anti-parallel ordering is observed in 2-D segments with sizes of over 20 nm. The field dependence of STM images and point I-V curves indicates a spin polarized local density of states (LDOS), an out-of-plane anisotropy field of less than 10 Oe, and an exchange coupling field of 100 Oe at room temperature.

Magneto-Electric Nano-Particles for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

This paper for the first time discusses a computational study of using magneto-electric (ME) nanoparticles to artificially stimulate the neural activity deep in the brain. The new technology provides a unique way to couple electric signals in the neural network to the magnetic dipoles in the nanoparticles with the purpose to enable a non-invasive approach. Simulations of the effect of ME nanoparticles for non-invasively stimulating the brain of a patient with Parkinsons Disease to bring the pulsed sequences of the electric field to the levels comparable to those of healthy people show that the optimized values for the concentration of the 20-nm nanoparticles (with the magneto-electric (ME) coefficient of 100 V cm−1 Oe−1 in the aqueous solution) is 3×106 particles/cc, and the frequency of the externally applied 300-Oe magnetic field is 80 Hz.

Experimental test of Landauer’s principle in single-bit operations on nanomagnetic memory bits

The minimum energy dissipated in switching a magnetic bit measured to be consistent with the Landauer limit of kBT ln(2). Minimizing energy dissipation has emerged as the key challenge in continuing to scale the performance of digital computers. The question of whether there exists a fundamental lower limit to the energy required for digital operations is therefore of great interest. A well-known theoretical result put forward by Landauer states that any irreversible single-bit operation on a physical memory element in contact with a heat bath at a temperature T requires at least kBT ln(2) of heat be dissipated from the memory into the environment, where kB is the Boltzmann constant. We report an experimental investigation of the intrinsic energy loss of an adiabatic single-bit reset operation using nanoscale magnetic memory bits, by far the most ubiquitous digital storage technology in use today. Through sensitive, high-precision magnetometry measurements, we observed that the amount of dissipated energy in this process is consistent (within 2 SDs of experimental uncertainty) with the Landauer limit. This result reinforces the connection between “information thermodynamics” and physical systems and also provides a foundation for the development of practical information processing technologies that approach the fundamental limit of energy dissipation. The significance of the result includes insightful direction for future development of information technology.

Magnetoelectric ‘spin’ on stimulating the brain

AIM The in vivo study on imprinting control region mice aims to show that magnetoelectric nanoparticles may directly couple the intrinsic neural activity-induced electric fields with external magnetic fields. METHODS Approximately 10 µg of CoFe2O4-BaTiO3 30-nm nanoparticles have been intravenously administrated through a tail vein and forced to cross the blood-brain barrier via a d.c. field gradient of 3000 Oe/cm. A surgically attached two-channel electroencephalography headmount has directly measured the modulation of intrinsic electric waveforms by an external a.c. 100-Oe magnetic field in a frequency range of 0-20 Hz. RESULTS The modulated signal has reached the strength comparable to that due the regular neural activity. CONCLUSION The study opens a pathway to use multifunctional nanoparticles to control intrinsic fields deep in the brain.

Chemically Engineered Graphene-Based 2D Organic Molecular Magnet

Carbon-based magnetic materials and structures of mesoscopic dimensions may offer unique opportunities for future nanomagnetoelectronic/spintronic devices. To achieve their potential, carbon nanosystems must have controllable magnetic properties. We demonstrate that nitrophenyl functionalized graphene can act as a room-temperature 2D magnet. We report a comprehensive study of low-temperature magnetotransport, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and superconducting quantum interference (SQUID) measurements before and after radical functionalization. Following nitrophenyl (NP) functionalization, epitaxially grown graphene systems can become organic molecular magnets with ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic ordering that persists at temperatures above 400 K. The field-dependent, surface magnetoelectric properties were studied using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques. The results indicate that the NP-functionalization orientation and degree of coverage directly affect the magnetic properties of the graphene surface. In addition, graphene-based organic magnetic nanostructures were found to demonstrate a pronounced magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). The results were consistent across different characterization techniques and indicate room-temperature magnetic ordering along preferred graphene orientations in the NP-functionalized samples. Chemically isolated graphene nanoribbons (CINs) were observed along the preferred functionality directions. These results pave the way for future magnetoelectronic/spintronic applications based on promising concepts such as current-induced magnetization switching, magnetoelectricity, half-metallicity, and quantum tunneling of magnetization.

Multilevel-3D bit patterned magnetic media with 8 signal levels per nanocolumn.

This letter presents an experimental study that shows that a 3rd physical dimension may be used to further increase information packing density in magnetic storage devices. We demonstrate the feasibility of at least quadrupling the magnetic states of magnetic-based data storage devices by recording and reading information from nanopillars with three magnetically-decoupled layers. Magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy and magnetic force microscopy analysis show that both continuous (thin film) and patterned triple-stack magnetic media can generate eight magnetically-stable states. This is in comparison to only two states in conventional magnetic recording. Our work further reveals that ferromagnetic interaction between magnetic layers can be reduced by combining Co/Pt and Co/Pd multilayers media. Finally, we are showing for the first time an MFM image of multilevel-3D bit patterned media with 8 discrete signal levels.

Sub-nanosecond signal propagation in anisotropy-engineered nanomagnetic logic chains

Energy efficient nanomagnetic logic (NML) computing architectures propagate binary information by relying on dipolar field coupling to reorient closely spaced nanoscale magnets. Signal propagation in nanomagnet chains has been previously characterized by static magnetic imaging experiments; however, the mechanisms that determine the final state and their reproducibility over millions of cycles in high-speed operation have yet to be experimentally investigated. Here we present a study of NML operation in a high-speed regime. We perform direct imaging of digital signal propagation in permalloy nanomagnet chains with varying degrees of shape-engineered biaxial anisotropy using full-field magnetic X-ray transmission microscopy and time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy after applying nanosecond magnetic field pulses. An intrinsic switching time of 100 ps per magnet is observed. These experiments, and accompanying macrospin and micromagnetic simulations, reveal the underlying physics of NML architectures repetitively operated on nanosecond timescales and identify relevant engineering parameters to optimize performance and reliability.

Reconfigurable and non-volatile vertical magnetic logic gates

In this paper, we discuss the concept and prototype fabrication of reconfigurable and non-volatile vertical magnetic logic gates. These gates consist of two input layers and a RESET layer. The RESET layer allows the structure to be used as either an AND or an OR gate, depending on its magnetization state. To prove this concept, the gates were fabricated using a multi-layered patterned magnetic media, in which three magnetic layers are stacked and exchange-decoupled via non-magnetic interlayers. We demonstrate the functionality of these logic gates by conducting atomic force microscopy and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) analysis of the multi-layered patterned magnetic media. The logic gates operation mechanism and fabrication feasibility are both validated by the MFM imaging results.