568 research outputs found
A transfer function approach for predicting rare cell capture microdevice performance
Rare cells have the potential to improve our understanding of biological systems and the treatment of a variety of diseases; each of those applications requires a different balance of throughput, capture efficiency, and sample purity. Those challenges, coupled with the limited availability of patient samples and the costs of repeated design iterations, motivate the need for a robust set of engineering tools to optimize application-specific geometries. Here, we present a transfer function approach for predicting rare cell capture in microfluidic obstacle arrays. Existing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools are limited to simulating a subset of these arrays, owing to computational costs; a transfer function leverages the deterministic nature of cell transport in these arrays, extending limited CFD simulations into larger, more complicated geometries. We show that the transfer function approximation matches a full CFD simulation within 1.34 %, at a 74-fold reduction in computational cost. Taking advantage of these computational savings, we apply the transfer function simulations to simulate reversing array geometries that generate a “notch filter” effect, reducing the collision frequency of cells outside of a specified diameter range. We adapt the transfer function to study the effect of off-design boundary conditions (such as a clogged inlet in a microdevice) on overall performance. Finally, we have validated the transfer function’s predictions for lateral displacement within the array using particle tracking and polystyrene beads in a microdevice.National Cancer Institute (U.S.). Physical Sciences-Oncology Center (Cornell Center on the Microenvironment and Metastasis. Award U54CA143876
Annealing-dependent phenomena in Ga₁[-x]Mn[x]As
Bracketed information should be subscripted.The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (June 29, 2006)Includes bibliographical references.Vita.Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2004.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Physics.There has been a great deal of recent research interest in the development of "spintronics" technology. Many potential spintronic devices will require a "spin injector" capable of producing a spin-polarized current. In particular, it would be valuable to develop a ferromagnetic semiconductor spin injector that would be compatible with semiconductor materials common to existing electronic devices. A promising candidate for such a spin-injector is Ga1-xMnxAs, due to its relatively high ferromagnetic transition temperature (TC), and its compatibility with standard GaAs. However, in order to achieve maximum TC, Ga1-xMnxAs must be carefully annealed after growth. While it has been known since 2001 that annealing can increase TC, it has not been understood until very recently exactly how annealing achieves this benefit. With the aim of better understanding the annealing process, this dissertation's primary focus is polarized neutron reflectometry experiments that examine how annealing changes the depth-dependent properties of Ga1-xMnxAs thin films. For several uncapped films, annealing is observed to significantly alter these films' chemical and magnetic depth profiles, while annealing is observed to do little to a sample capped with GaAs. These results provide evidence that annealing enhances Ga1-xMnxAs by ripping ferromagnetically disruptive Mn impurities from the crystal lattice, freeing them to migrate to the surface of the film-corroborating other recent work. ms chemical and magnetic depth profiles, while annealing is observed to do little to a sample capped with GaAs. These results provide evidence that annealing enhances Ga1-xMnxAs by ripping ferromagnetically disruptive Mn impurities from the crystal lattice, freeing them to migrate to the surface of the film-corroborating other recent work
Proximity Driven Enhanced Magnetic Order at Ferromagnetic Insulator / Magnetic Topological Insulator Interface
Magnetic exchange driven proximity effect at a magnetic insulator /
topological insulator (MI/TI) interface provides a rich playground for novel
phenomena as well as a way to realize low energy dissipation quantum devices.
Here we report a dramatic enhancement of proximity exchange coupling in the MI
/ magnetic-TI EuS / SbVTe hybrid heterostructure, where V
doping is used to drive the TI (SbTe) magnetic. We observe an
artificial antiferromagnetic-like structure near the MI/TI interface, which may
account for the enhanced proximity coupling. The interplay between the
proximity effect and doping provides insights into controllable engineering of
magnetic order using a hybrid heterostructure.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Emergent magnetic state in (111)-oriented quasi-two-dimensional spinel oxides
We report on the emergent magnetic state of (111)-oriented CoCr2O4 ultrathin
films sandwiched by Al2O3 in the quantum confined geometry. At the
two-dimensional crossover, polarized neutron reflectometry reveals an anomalous
enhancement of the total magnetization compared to the bulk value. Synchrotron
x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) demonstrates the appearance of
long-range ferromagnetic ordering of spins on both Co and Cr sublattices.
Brillouin function analyses further corroborates that the observed phenomena
are due to the strongly altered magnetic frustration, manifested by the onset
of a Yafet-Kittel type ordering as the new ground state in the ultrathin limit,
which is unattainable in the bulk
Ionic Tuning of Cobaltites at the Nanoscale
Control of materials through custom design of ionic distributions represents
a powerful new approach to develop future technologies ranging from spintronic
logic and memory devices to energy storage. Perovskites have shown particular
promise for ionic devices due to their high ion mobility and sensitivity to
chemical stoichiometry. In this work, we demonstrate a solid-state approach to
control of ionic distributions in (La,Sr)CoO thin films. Depositing a Gd
capping layer on the perovskite film, oxygen is controllably extracted from the
structure, up-to 0.5 O/u.c. throughout the entire 36 nm thickness. Commensurate
with the oxygen extraction, the Co valence state and saturation magnetization
show a smooth continuous variation. In contrast, magnetoresistance measurements
show no-change in the magnetic anisotropy and a rapid increase in the
resistivity over the same range of oxygen stoichiometry. These results suggest
significant phase separation, with metallic ferromagnetic regions and
oxygen-deficient, insulating, non-ferromagnetic regions, forming percolated
networks. Indeed, X-ray diffraction identifies oxygen-vacancy ordering,
including transformation to a brownmillerite crystal structure. The unexpected
transformation to the brownmillerite phase at ambient temperature is further
confirmed by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy which
shows significant structural - and correspondingly chemical - phase separation.
This work demonstrates room-temperature ionic control of magnetism, electrical
resistivity, and crystalline structure in a 36 nm thick film, presenting new
opportunities for ionic devices that leverage multiple material
functionalities
Magnetic Yoking and Tunable Interactions in FePt-Based Hard/Soft Bilayers
Magnetic interactions in magnetic nanostructures are critical to nanomagnetic and spintronic explorations. Here we demonstrate an extremely sensitive magnetic yoking effect and tunable interactions in FePt based hard/soft bilayers mediated by the soft layer. Below the exchange length, a thin soft layer strongly exchange couples to the perpendicular moments of the hard layer;above the exchange length, just a few nanometers thicker, the soft layer moments turn in-plane and act to yoke the dipolar fields from the adjacent hard layer perpendicular domains. The evolution from exchange to dipolar-dominated interactions is experimentally captured by first-order reversal curves, the Delta M method, and polarized neutron reflectometry, and confirmed by micromagnetic simulations. These findings demonstrate an effective yoking approach to design and control magnetic interactions in wide varieties of magnetic nanostructures and devices
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