PSPINS: Polarization and Spin Phenomena in Nanoferroic Structures

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) “Polarization and Spin Phenomena in Nanoferroic Structures” (P-SPINS) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is one of a nationwide network of MRSECs sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF MRSECs are centers of excellence that support interdisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality.

The Nebraska MRSEC was established in 2002 to carry out collaborative research on new magnetic materials and structures at the nanometer scale, with the aim of developing fundamental understanding of their properties and related phenomena. Recent pioneering discoveries by the Nebraska MRSEC researchers have broadened the Center’s scope and positioned its investigators to build the sustainable potential for exploring new frontiers in materials and nanoscience well into the future. A particular emphasis is made on studies of new ferroic materials and structures aimed at developing the fundamental understanding of their properties and related phenomena important for information processing and storage, energy harvesting, and advanced electronics. P-SPINS relies on interdisciplinary collaborations, extensive use of shared facilities, partnerships with national laboratories and international institutions and interactions with industrial companies to leverage the expected scientific innovations for potential technological advances.

As an integral part of the Center, P-SPINS offers interdisciplinary training for the next generation of materials scientists and engineers by providing regional four-year institutions experience and tools to improve their materials science programs and curricula, offering opportunities for middle- and high-school teachers and their students to learn about materials science, and by addressing pre-college segments of the educational pipeline via targeted outreach activities.

P-SPINS’s vision is to be an internationally recognized center of excellence for integrated research and education in nanoferroic materials. To fulfill this vision, P-SPINS brings together broad expertise in novel nanofabrication techniques, comprehensive physical and spectroscopic measurements, and advanced theory and modeling; supports active outreach programs and partnerships with industrial, academic, and educational organizations; and provides unique opportunities for education at all levels.