UC Riverside

In recent years, current data storage and semiconductors have begun to reach their fundamental limits. In current hard disk drive based data storage technology due to the size of the bit no longer being able to be reduced. And in semiconductor technologies due to current leakage effect in small devices. Because of this, we look to explore new approaches to optimize materials used in data storages devices. First a study of Co/Pd multilayers using large current densities to permanently change the coercivity of the media due to electromigration induced surface diffusion of O2 leading to formation of CoO. Next, a study of Co/Pd multilayers using smaller current densities to reversibly change the coercivity of the media due to Rashba spin-orbit torques. Then, an in-situ TEM study of high temperature behaviors in nanocrystalline platinum thin films that paves the way for a standardized fabrication and high temperature TEM experimentation process for any thin film using our device design.