Karine Chesnel, Physics and Astronomy
Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met
The research plan described in the proposal (section 2.1) was well implemented during the period 2013-2014. Most of the steps listed in the plan were completed thanks to the fund: (1) nanoparticle preparation (2) structural characterization (3) magnetic characterization (4) particle deposition and self-assembling (5) net magnetization of the film measured via XMCD; we are still working on the last steps (6) magnetic order between particles measured via XRMS and (7) dynamical measurements, measured via CXRMS. The fund was especially useful to go and carry out a couple of synchrotron experiments at SSRL, SLAC at Stanford, to complete steps (5-7). Our first results have already led to two publications, as described below.
Evaluation of the mentoring environment
Several students were involved in the project during the period 2013 – 2014. They have been trained on several experimental techniques, including sample preparation via chemical routes, Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), here on campus, as well as advanced synchrotron techniques: XMCD, XRMS and CXRMS, at the SSRL synchrotron facility at Stanford.
List of students who participated and what academic deliverables they have produced or it is anticipated they will produce
- Yanping Cai: produced a Master thesis in April 2014: “Spin and Orbital Moments and Magnetic Order in Fe3O4 Nanoparticle Assemblies”
- Matea Trevino: produced a senior thesis in August 2013: “Fabrication and Characterization of Superparamagnetic Magnetite (Fe3O4) Nanoparticles”
- Andrew Westover: helped with the TEM imaging and the synchrotron measurements
- Dalton Griner: helped with the sample preparation and the synchrotron measurements
Description of the results/findings of the project
The experiments we have conducted for this project have successfully led to preliminary results about the magnetic behavior of the magnetite nanoparticles. These first results have already led to publications in peer-review journals:
- Particle size effects on the magnetic behavior of 5 to 11 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles
Karine Chesnel, Matea Trevino, Yanping Cai, Jared Hancock, Stacey Smith and Roger Harrison, Journal of Physics, 521, 012004 (6 June 2014) - Orbital and Spin moments of 5 to 11 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles measured via XMCD
Yanping Cai, Karine Chesnel, Matea Trevino, Andrew Westover, Roger Harrison, Jared Hancock, Steve Turley, Andreas Scherz, Alexander Reid, Benny Wu, Catherine Graves, Tianhan Wang, Tianmin Liu and Hermann Durr, Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 17, 17B537 (28 April 2014)
Description of how the budget was spent
The budget was very useful to prepare nanoparticles samples, to perform TEM imaging, and carry out synchrotron experiments. We also used the funds to go and present at international conferences.
Here is a detail of how the funds were used:
- Sample preparation (purchasing wafers and various chemicals): ~ $1200
- TEM time: $ 800
- Synchrotron experiment at SSRL, SLAC in May 2013 (faculty + two students): ~ $4000
- Synchrotron experiment at SSRL, SLAC in June 2014 (faculty + two students): ~ $5000
- Cryogenics (purchasing liquid helium for the experiment): ~ $2000
- Trip to the 58th MMM international conference, at Denver, CO in November 2013: $2500
- Trip to the 59th MMM international conference, at Honolulu, HI in November 2014: ~$3500
- Poster printing and various supplies: ~ $1000