Research
Photonics & Electromagnetics
Spintronic Sensors and Microwave Phase Detection
James Kolodzey
- Evolutionary optimization of electromagnetic devices
- Fabrication of Light Emitters Based on Tin-Germanium Alloys
- Devices and Imaging in the High-Terahertz Band
- Antenna Coupled Nano-Photonic Waveguides for MMW FPAs
- Optical biopsy & single-cell spectroscopy
- 50% Efficient Solar Cells
- Electro-optical properties of carbon nanostructures
- High-reliability Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL's) and VCSEL arrays
- Integration of Optoelectronics and Optical Networks in Advanced Fiberglass/Resin Composites
- Micromechanical Large-Area Modulators for Free-space Optical Communication
- Silicon-based light emitters
- Time-domain integral equation methods for the solution of Maxwell's Equations
- Design of 2D Read-out Integrated Circuit for 3-D Laser-radar Imaging Systems
- Spintronic Sensors and Microwave Phase Detection
- Broadband Silicon-Based Quantum Dot Absorption Materials
- Terahertz Spectroscopy of Doped Nanostructures
- Dilute Nitride Technology for Infrared Detectors
- Germanium-Based Solar Cells for Long Wavelength Sensitivity
Current funding
Department of Energy
Group Staff
Graduate Student
Nupur Bhargava
Kenny Kim
Collaborators
Professors J. Xiao, E. Nowak, B. Nikolic
This project addresses the application of magneto-resistive sensors to detect biochemicals, including DNA and proteins. The operating principle is that magnetic particles of nanometer size are prepared as markers that tag biomolecule targets by chemical binding. A complementary probe biochemical, which specifically bonds to the sought target, is anchored to the surface of the magneto-sensors by chemical surface treatment. The magneto-sensor is placed in close proximity to a test sample of biochemicals, by micropipette. If the target molecule matches its complementary probe anchored to the sensor surface, the molecules will bind, along with their nanomagnet tags, and stay fixed to the sensor surface without being washed away. If the magneto-resistance sensor shows a change in resistance by the fringing field of the nanomagnet, the presence of that particular target is indicated. If the probe and target do not match, the target molecules get washed away with their nano-tags, and there is no change in magnetoresistance. The magneto-resistive sensors have been shown to detect a single magnetic particle of micron-size.
A microwave magnetic field can precess the free magnetic layer in spin valve devices and magnetic tunnel junctions. Consequently, the magnetoresistance changes, leading to an average resistance change with respect to the initial state (parallel or antiparallel). A dc current applied through the device picks up the resistance change and converts it into an ac voltage signal which can be detected using a lock-in technique. We found that the ac voltage signal is related to the microwave power.
