A Muffin Tin for Magnetic Nanostructures

Axel Enders, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, DMR 0747704

Understanding the physics of nano-structures with well-defined structure and long-range ordering is a key challenge in nanomagnetism.

In this project, we investigate Cobalt nanoclusters, which we fabricate on structured tungsten surfaces. We study the magnetism of the clusters as model systems, to learn about materials properties on the nanometer scale.

Such clusters, if used for magnetic data storage where each cobalt cluster holds one bit of information, would increase the storage density by more than a factor of 100 as compared to  the existing memories, permitting the storage of the entire Library of Congress and more on a single chip.

STM image of an ordered array of Co clusters (bright peaks). The distance between two clusters is only 1.2 nanometers. The clusters were formed on a structured tungsten surface (inset), exhibiting a network of ridges and depressions for templating the Co growth.

Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics

Axel Enders, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, DMR 0747704

We brought together outstanding undergraduate women researchers in Physics for a three-day conference, in October 2009. 75 participating under-graduate women and their faculty advisors expanded upon their current research experiences, interacted with physics students from other universities, and attended scientific talks given by invited physicists from other universities.

The second WoPHY will be held in October 2010, in celebration of 50 years of the laser.

Funding for WoPHY is provided by NSF CAREER, UNL, NCMN, Nebraska MRSEC and Nebraska EpSCOR and AFOSR.

www.physics.unl.edu/~wophy

The above picture shows a conference photo, taken during WoPHY 2009. Left: Conference poster for the upcoming WoPHY 2010 “Laserpalooza”, which will have focus sessions on laser science.