| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/N09060/01 |
| Title: |
COMPOSITIONAL INHOMOGENEITIES IN INFORMATION STORAGE MATERIALS - EFFECT ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES |
| Principal Investigator: |
Petford-Long, Professor A |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Materials |
| Organisation: |
University of Oxford |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 October 2000 |
Ends: |
31 December 2003 |
Value (£): |
152,133
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Electronics |
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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We plan to investigate how local inhomogeneities in the morphology and composition of thin layered films are controlled by materials processing and how this in turn affects the magnetic properties of the films and devices. Local composition of the films at near-to atomic resolution will be studied using three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) analysis. We propose to concentrate on two materials systems: spin valve structures for read heads (based on IrMn and NiMn exchange-biasing layers), multilayer films composed of the layers of interest and Co-alloy films for use as longitudinal recording media. Results from the 3DAP analysis will be combined with magnetic measurements to elucidate the role of the observed nanostructural features on the film properties. A newly developed scanning atom probe (SAP) will also be applied to these materials, and it will be necessary to develop and improve existing techniques for the fabrication of suitable specimens from thin film samples.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ox.ac.uk |