Structural and physical properties of colossal magnetoresistance manganites and diluted magnetic semiconductors for fabrication of nanostructured spintronic devices

Abstract

Our basic goal is to study oxides with high spin polarization and its potential for application in spintronic devices. We are going to explore two distinct classes of materials: CMR manganites and diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS). On the, CMR front, we will investigate the implications of a tunable kinetic energy and its fundamental consequence, multiphase coexistence, for basic materials properties, surface and interface behavior, and exploratory devices. On The DMS front our focus will be on lattice location and evaluation of the microscopic chemical and structural aspects of the samples. In this context we will use the Rutherford Backscattering Channeling technique in conjugation with other methods such as high-resolution cross-section TEM, Photoelectron spectroscopy, XAS and XMCD, Raman and optical absorption etc. (AU)