Components using soft-magnetic materials are central to the operation of many ICT products e.g. in energy management, RF Communications, micro-mechanical components such as switches, read/write heads and sensors. Recently, nanocomposite (metal/ceramic) thin-film materials produced by sputtering techniques have shown an interesting range of magnetic properties, not achievable by any other conventional magnetic material synthesis techniques. In particular such materials are being investigated for use at very high frequencies, such as the GHz frequencies used in RF communications. In a recent publication, a multiphase interleaved buck dc-dc converter with hysteretic control has been reported which operates at 480 MHz with efficiency of 72% enabling a dramatic reduction of size of passive components. The only impediment for realization of this technology is lack of suitable integratable core material for inductors in high frequency operation. We address this challenge with different novel nanocomposite magnetic materials prepared within mesochannels of ordered mesoporous films with uniform and tailorable pore dimensions between 15-120 Å. Finally, thus prepared novel nanocomposite materials will be tested for high frequency operation, aiming future microprocessor powering systems.

                 
Mesoporous silica; a) hexagonal pore morphology b) cubic pore morphology (complex interconnecting channel with Ia3d space group)

Projects:

[1] Scientific Foundation Ireland (SFI) Principal Investigator Programme: Development of novel Nano-composite, High-frequency Magnetic materials for future Microprocessor power delivery ––one Post Doctoral fellow, two Ph.D. students are guided in this project - Started from Feb 2007.

[2]‘Magnetic Characterization of Rare-Earth(RE) doped Transition Metals and Alloys Thin Films and Nanowires/Nanorods’ - in collaboration with Dr. Zakia Rahman -University of Limerick- funded through National Access Programme (NAP) of Scientific Foundation Ireland– started September 2007.

 

Contact: Dr. Saibal Roy, Email: saibal.roy@tyndall.ie | webpage