Magnetic Materials

The goal of the magnetic materials research in the MSE department is to better understand the role structural features, such as the nature and distribution of crystal structures, grain boundaries, and amorphous phases, have on the extrinsic magnetic properties of materials. We investigate the structure of bulk materials, thin films, and nanoparticle materials by means of HRTEM, EELS, and X-ray diffraction and we study their magnetic properties by standard hysteretic techniques. Important thermodynamic parameters, like chemical ordering temperatures or Curie temperatures, are studied both by thermal techniques (DSC) and by magnetometry. Much of our magnetic materials research is application-oriented, including magnetic recording (heads and media), actuators, and the medical use of magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetic materials research is closely connected to the Data Storage Systems Center (DSSC), a CMU-industrial consortium.

MSE Faculty with focused efforts in Magnetic Materials Research are:

Katayun Barmak
Marc De Graef
David E. Laughlin
Michael E. McHenry

Additional MSE and Courtesy Faculty involved in Magnetic Materials Research are: