Skip Navigation

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Physics & Astronomy

Department Information

David J. Sellmyer

George Holmes University Distinguished Professor
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Director, Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience

E-mail: dsellmyer@unl.edu
Fax: (402) 472-2879
Office: 112 Brace
Phone: (402) 472-2407

David J. Sellmyer was educated at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University, where he received B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics.

He was Assistant and Associate Professor of Materials Science at MIT, before moving to the University of Nebraska in 1972. He served two terms as Chairman of Physics, and is now George Holmes University Professor and Director of the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience (NCMN), the NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), and the W.M. Keck Center.

Dr. Sellmyer is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and has been a Visiting Scientist at the Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory at MIT, the Synchrotron Radiation Center at the University of Wisconsin, and at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing.

He has presented about 150 invited talks and published over 420 articles and reviews in the areas of electronic structure and magnetism in metallic compounds and alloys, random magnetism and phase transitions in magnetic glasses, magnetic properties of new rare earth-iron permanent-magnet materials, and magnetism and magneto-optics of artificially structured multilayers and superlattices.

Recent work has emphasized the nanoscale design of magnetic films with specified properties.

 

Current Research:

The research in Dr. Sellymer's group is broadly focused on quantum and spin phenomena in nanomagnetic structures. Newly discovered nanoscale structures with exceptional properties represent one of the most dynamic and exciting areas in science and technology. The emergence of nanoscience and nanotechnology has brought to the fore the concepts of deliberate fabrication of composite structures by either "bottom-up" or "top-down" methods. The top-down method has worked well for decades in the miniaturization process but is reaching its limits. The bottom-up method relies on the principle of self-assembly or self-organization, and has great potential for creating nanoscale systems that possess completely new properties. Future research likely will involve combined top-down and bottom-up approaches. Many new phenomena and devices are under study with these ideas including giant magnetoresistance sensors, high-density data storage and memory, spintronics, and exchange-coupled nanomagnets. His research is focused on several of these areas.

Students and postdocs in Dr. Sellymer's group learn and research in a broad range of topics in materials, magnetism and nanoscience. Synthetic methods include sputtering, nanocluster deposition, self-assembly, electrodeposition, focused-ion-beam milling and others. Structural characterization methods include x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Physical property measurements include SQUID, AGFM, and VSM magnetometry, electrical resistance, Hall effect, magnetoresistance, and Moessbauer effect. His group is well known for fabrication of novel nanomagnetic structures and for strong integration of experiment with theory. Many of the topics under investigation in his group are basic science but related to nanomagnetic structures for future information technologies. These include: (i) High-anisotropy magnetic nanocluster-assembled films; (ii) Nanotube magnetism; (iii) Spin-logic nanostructures; (iv) Exchange-coupled nanocomposites; (v) Magnetic semiconductors for spintronics; and (vi) Quantum entanglement in nanodots.



Recent Key Publications:

  1. “Advanced Magnetic Nanostructures”, eds. D. J. Sellmyer and R. Skomski, Springer (in press, 2005).

  2. J. Zhang, X.Z. Li, B. Xu, and D.J. Sellmyer, “The Influence of Nitrogen Growth Pressure on the Ferromagnetism of Cr-Doped AlN Thin Films,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 212504 (2005).

  3. D.J. Sellmyer, M.L. Yan, Y.F. Xu, and R. Skomski, “High-Anisotropy Nanocluster Films for High-Density Perpendicular Recording,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 41, 560 (2005).

  4. Y. C. Sui, R. Skomski, K. D. Sorge, D. J. Sellmyer, “Nanotube Magnetism”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 1525 (2004).

  5. D. J. Sellmyer, “Strong Magnets by Self-Assembly”, Nature 420, 374-375 (2002).

     

Recent Publications (1/1/2004 - PRESENT):

  1.   Y.C. Sui, R. Skomski, K.D. Sorge, D.J. Sellmyer, “Nanotube Magnetism,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 1525 (2004).

  2. A. Kashyap, R. Skomski, A.K. Solanki, Y.F. Xu, D.J. Sellmyer, “Magnetism of L10 Compounds with the Composition MT (M = Rh, Pd, Pt, Ir and T = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni),” J. Appl. Phys. 95, 7480-7482 (2004).

  3. Y.C. Sui, R. Skomski, K.D. Sorge, D.J. Sellmyer, “Magnetic Nanotubes Produced by Hydrogen Reduction,” J. Appl. Phys. 95, 7151-7153 (2004).

  4. M. Chipara, D. Hui, J. Sankar, D. Leslie-Pelecky, A. Bender, L. Yue, R. Skomski, D.J. Sellmyer, “On Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene-Barium Ferrite Nanocomposites,” Composites B 35, 235-243 (2004).

  5. R.F. Sabirianov, A. Kashyap, R. Skomski, S.S. Jaswal, D.J. Sellmyer, “First-Principles Studies of Transition-Metal Substitutions in Sm-Co Permanent Magnets,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 2286-2288 (2004).

  6. Y.F. Xu, M.L. Yan, D.J. Sellmyer, “Nanostructure and Magnetic Properties of FePt:C Cluster Films,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 40, 2525 (2004).

  7. K.D. Sorge, A. Kashyap, R. Skomski, L. Yue, L. Gao, R.D. Kirby, S.H. Liou, D.J. Sellmyer, “Interactions and Switching Behavior of Anisotropic Magnetic Dots,” J. Appl. Phys. 95, 7414-7416 (2004).

  8. M.L. Yan, R. Skomski, A. Kashyap, L. Gao, S.H. Liou, D.J. Sellmyer, “Hysteresis of Granular FePt:Ag Films with Perpendicular Anisotropy,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 40, 2495 (2004).

  9. Y.C. Sui, J. Zhou, X.Z. Li, R. Skomski, D.J. Sellmyer, “Growth and Magnetism of FePt:C Composites in Nanoscale Channels,” J. Appl. Phys. 95, 6741-6743 (2004).

  10. M.L. Yan, R.F. Sabirianov, Y.F. Xu, X.Z. Li, D.J. Sellmyer, “L10 Ordered FePt:C Composite Films with (001) Texture,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 40, 2470 (2004).

  11. R. Skomski, A. Kashyap, K.D. Sorge, D.J. Sellmyer, “Multi-Domain and Incoherent Effects in Magnetic Nanodots,” J. Appl. Phys. 95, 7022-7024 (2004).

  12. T. Yokota, L. Gao, S. H. Liou, M. L. Yan, and D. J. Sellmyer, “Effect of Au Spacer Layer on L10 Phase Ordering Temperature of CoPt Thin Films,” J. Appl. Phys. 95, 7270-7272 (2004).

  13. J. Zhou, A. Kashyap, Y. Liu, R. Skomski, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Magnetization Reversal and Giant Coercivity in Sm-Co/Cu-Ti Particulate Films,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 40, 2940 (2004).

  14. R. Skomski, J. Zhou, A. Kashyap, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Domain-Wall Pinning at Inhomogenities of Arbitrary Cross-Sectional Geometry,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 40, 2946 (2004).

  15. X.Z. Li, J. Zhang, and D.J. Sellmyer, “TEM Study of Crystalline Structures of Cr-N Thin Films,” J. Appl. Cryst. 37, 1010-1012 (2004).

  16. R. Skomski, A.Y. Istomin, A.F. Starace, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Quantum Entanglement of Anisotropic Magnetic Nanodots,” Phys. Rev. A 70, 062307 (2004).

  17. J. Zhou, R. Skomski, K.D. Sorge, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Magnetization Reversal in Particulate L10 Nanostructures,” Scripta Mat. 53, 453-456 (2005).

  18. M.L. Yan, Y.F. Xu, X.Z. Li, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Highly (001) Oriented Ni-Doped L10 FePt Films and Their Magnetic Properties,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10H309 (2005).

  19. J. Zhang, X.Z. Li, B. Xu, and D.J. Sellmyer, “The Influence of Nitrogen Growth Pressure on the Ferromagnetism of Cr-Doped AlN Thin Films,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 212504 (2005).

  20. T. Yokota, L. Gao, R. Zhang, L. Nicholl, M.L. Yan, D.J. Sellmyer, and S.H. Liou, “The Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy of CoPt/Au Multilayer Films,” J. Magn. Magn. Matls. 286, 301-305 (2005).

  21. A.K. Pradhan, S. Mohanty, Kai Zhang, J.B. Dadson, E.M. Jackson, D. Hunter, R.R. Rakhimov, G.B. Loutts, J. Zhang, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Integration of Epitaxial Colossal Magnetoresistive Films Onto Si(100) Using SrTiO3 as a Template Layer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 012503 (2005).

  22. A.K. Pradhan, Kai Zhang, D. Hunter, J. Dadson, G.B. Loutts, P. Bhattacharya, R. Katiyar, J. Zhang, D.J. Sellmyer, U.N. Roy, Y. Cui, and A. Burger, “Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Single-Phase Multiferroic BiFeO3,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 093903 (2005).

  23. A.K. Pradhan, Kai Zhang, S. Mohanty, J.B Dadson, D. Hunter, J. Zhang, D.J. Sellmyer, U.N. Roy, Y. Cui, A. Burger, S. Mathews, B. Joseph, B.R. Sekhar, and B.K. Roul, “High Temperature Ferromagnetism in Pulsed-Laser Deposited Epitaxial (Zn,Mn)O Thin Films: Effects of Substrate Temperature,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 152511 (2005).

  24. R. Skomski, J. Zhou, A.Y. Istomin, A.F. Starace, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Magnetic Materials for Finite-Temperature Quantum Computing,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10R511 (2005).

  25. D.J. Sellmyer, M.L. Yan, Y.F. Xu, and R. Skomski, “High-Anisotropy Nanocluster Films for High-Density Perpendicular Recording,” IEEE Trans. Mag. 41, 560 (2005).

  26. K.D. Sorge, R. Skomski, M. Daniil, S. Michalski, L. Gao, J. Zhou, M. Yan, Y. Sui, R.D. Kirby, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Geometry and Magnetism of L10 Nanostructures,” Scripta Materialia 53, 457-461 (2005).

  27. Y.C. Sui, W. Liu, X.Z. Li, R. Skomski, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Template-Mediated Assembly of FePt L10 Clusters Under External Magnetic Field,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10J304 (2005).

  28. R. Skomski, J. Li, J. Zhou, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Multiscale Phenomena in Bruggeman Composites,” Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 851, 27-38 (2005).

  29. J. Zhang, R. Skomski, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Sample Preparation and Annealing Effects on the Ferromagnetism in Mn-Doped ZnO,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10D303 (2005).

  30. W. Liu, X.Z. Li, J.P. Liu, X.K. Sun, C.L. Chen, R. Skomski, Z.D. Zhang, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Enhanced Coercivity in Nanostructured (Nd,Dy)(Fe,Co,Nb,B)5.5/?-Fe Multilayer Magnets,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 104308 (2005).

  31. Y. Xu, M.L. Yan, J. Zhou, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Magnetic Properties of Dilute FePt:C Nano-Cluster Films,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10J320 (2005).

  32. J. Zhou, R. Skomski, Y. Liu, Y.C. Sui, W. Liu, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Rapidly Annealed Exchange-Coupled Sm-Co/Co Multilayers,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10K304 (2005).

  33. W. Liu, Y.C. Sui, J. Zhou, X.K. Sun, C.L. Chen, Z.D. Zhang, and D.J. Sellmyer, “The Effects of the Thickness of Magnetically Hard- and Soft-Phase Layers on Magnetic Properties and Exchange Coupling in Multilayer Magnets,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10K303 (2005).

  34. R. Skomski, J. Zhou, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Relaxation in Magnetic Nanostructures,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10A702 (2005).

  35. R. Skomski, A. Kashyap, J. Zhou, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Anisotropic Exchange,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10B302 (2005).

  36. R. Skomski, J. Zhou, P. Dowben, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Noncollinear Spin States and Competing Interactions in Half-Metals and Magnetic Perovskites,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10C305 (2005).

  37. X. Rui, Z.G. Sun, Y. Xu, D.J. Sellmyer, and J.E. Shield, “Cluster-Assembled Exchange-Spring Nanocomposite Permanent Magnets,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10K310 (2005).

  38. J. Zhang, S.H. Liou, D.J. Sellmyer, “Epitaxial Growth and Magnetic Properties of Cr-doped AlN Thin Films,” J. Phys. Cond. Matt. 17, 3137-3142 (2005).

  39. A.K. Pradhan, D. Hunter, J.B. Dodson, T.M. Williams, K. Zhang, K. Lord, B. Lasely, R. Rakhimov, J. Zhang, D.J. Sellmyer, U. Roy, Y. Cui, A. Burger, C. Hopkins, N. Pearson, A. Wilkerson, “Ferromagnetism in Nanocrystalline Epitaxial Co:TiO2 Thin Films,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 222503 (2005).

  40. J. Zhou, R. Skomski, A. Kashyap, K.D. Sorge, Y. Sui, M. Daniil, L. Gao, M.L. Yan, S.H. Liou, R.D. Kirby, D.J. Sellmyer, “Highly Coercive Thin-Film Nanostructures,” J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 290-291, 227-230 (2005).

  41. T. Yokota, M. Yan, Y. Xu, L. Gao, R. Zhang, L. Nicholl, L. Yuan, R. Skomski, D.J. Sellmyer, S. Liou, C. Lai, and M. Yang, “Magnetic Properties and L10 Phase Formation of FePt Films Prepared by High Current-Density Ion-Beam Irradiation and Rapid-Thermal Annealing Methods,” J. Appl. Phys. 97, 10H306 (2005).

 

Books, Chapters, Reviews (2004-present):

  1. X. Rui, J.E. Shield, Z. Sun, Y. Xu, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Cluster-Assembled Nanocomposite Permanent Magnets,” in High Performance Magnets & Their Applications, Annecy, France, Vol. 1, pgs. 332-340 (2004).

  2. R. Skomski and D.J. Sellmyer, “Coercivity in Hard-Magnetic Materials: a Review,” in High Performance Magnets & Their Applications, Annecy, France, Vol. 2, pgs. 429-441 (2004).
  1. R. Skomski and D.J. Sellmyer, “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties of Magnetic Nanostructures,” in Handbook of Advanced Magnetic Materials, eds. Y. Liu, D. Shindo, D.J. Sellmyer, Springer (2005).

  2. W. Liu, Y. Liu, R. Skomski and D.J. Sellmyer, “Nanostructured Exchange-Coupled Magnets,” in Handbook of Advanced Magnetic Materials, eds. Y. Liu, D. Shindo, D.J. Sellmyer, Springer (2005).

  3. Y. Liu, M. Yu and D.J. Sellmyer, “Advanced Transmission Electron Microscopy of Nanostructured Magnetic Materials,” in Handbook of Advanced Magnetic Materials, eds. Y. Liu, D. Shindo, D.J. Sellmyer, Springer (2005).

  4. Y. Liu, M. Zheng and D.J. Sellmyer, “Laser Processing of Magnetic Materials,” in Handbook of Advanced Magnetic Materials, eds. Y. Liu, D. Shindo, D.J. Sellmyer, Springer (2005).

  5. D.J. Sellmyer, H. Zeng, M. Yan, S. Sun and Y. Liu, “New Magnetic Recording Media,” in Handbook of Advanced Magnetic Materials, eds. Y. Liu, D. Shindo, D.J. Sellmyer, Springer (2005).

  6. D.J. Sellmyer, Y.C. Sui, Y.F. Xu, M.L. Yan, K.D. Sorge, and R. Skomski, “Nanomagnetic Structures: Fabrication and Interactions,” Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 835E, IG.1.1-11 (2005).

  7. E.Y. Tsymbal and D.J. Sellmyer, “Galvanomagnetic and Related Effects,” in Encyclopedia of Physics, 3/e, eds. R.G. Lerner and G.L. Trigg, Wiley-VCH Publishers (in press, 2005).

  8. D.J. Sellmyer, Y.F. Xu, Y.C. Sui, and R. Skomski, “Novel Nanoparticulate Magnetic Materials and Structures,” in Handbook of Magnetism and Advanced Magnetic Materials, eds. H. Kronmüller and S. Parkin, Vol. 4, Novel Materials, eds. M. Coey and A. Inoue, J. Wiley and Sons, Ltd, UK (in press, 2005).

  9. Y. F. Xu, M. L. Yan, and D.J. Sellmyer, “Cluster-Assembled Nanocomposites” in Advanced Magnetic Nanostructures, eds. D. J. Sellmyer and R. Skomski, Springer (in press, 2005).

  10. “Advanced Magnetic Nanostructures”, eds. D. J. Sellmyer and R. Skomski, Springer (in press, 2005).

     

[UP]

Click here for a list of older publications.
Click here to see a list of students, postdocs, research faculty associates, specialists, etc.