Caroline A. Ross

Toyota Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

B.A., Cambridge University, U.K. 1985 
Ph.D., Cambridge University, U.K., 1988

Room 13-4005, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA  02139
617-258-0223 (phone) 617-252-1020 (fax)
caross@mit.edu
Prof. Ross' Group Website

Prof. Ross' research is directed towards the magnetic properties of thin films and small structures, particularly for data storage applications, and towards methods for creating nanoscale structures based on self-assembly and lithography. Current research on magnetic materials includes the synthesis and characterization of arrays of small magnetic 'dots' for patterned recording media, magnetoresistive ring-shaped multilayer thin-film elements for magnetic random access memories and magnetic logic devices, and magnetooptical materials for optical integrated circuits. They also study the self-assembly of block copolymers, porous alumina, and island formation in films, and develop methods for templating self-assembly in order to form well-organized structures useful in nanoscale devices. They maintain a Thin Film Laboratory which includes a pulsed laser deposition system and an ultra-high vacuum sputter system, in addition to a range of magnetic, magnetooptical, and magnetoelectronic characterization equipment.

Selected Publications

"Orientation-Controlled Self-Assembled Nanolithography using a Polystyrene-Polydimethylsiloxane Block Copolymer," Yeon Sik Jung and C. A. Ross, Nano Letts, 7, 2046–2050 (2007).

"Current-Induced Magnetization Reversal in NiFe/Cu/Co/Au Notched Mesoscopic Bars," D. Morecroft, I. A. Colin, F. J. Castaño, J. A. C. Bland, C. A. Ross, Phys. Rev. B, 76, 054449 (2007).

"Mixed-Cation Designs of Magnetic Perovskites for Faraday Rotation at IR Wavelengths," Gerald F. Dionne, Alex R. Taussig, Martin Bolduc, and C. A. Ross, J. Appl. Phys., 101, 09C524 1–3 (2007).

"Vortex Chirality in Exchange Biased Elliptical Magnetic Rings," W. Jung, F.J. Castano, C.A. Ross, Phys. Rev. Letts., 97 247209 1–4 (2006).

"Three-Dimensional Self-Assembly of Spherical Block Copolymer Domains into V-Shaped Grooves," V.P. Chuang, J.Y. Cheng, T.A. Savas, C.A. Ross, Nano Letts., 6 (10), 2332–2337, (2006).

Prof. Ross and collaborators Prof. Ned Thomas, Prof. Karl Berggren of EECS, Ion Bita PhD '06, Joel Yang, and Yeon Sik Jung's research on self-assembly methods with potential for microchips was recently published in Science. See the MIT News Office for further details.