Yumi Ijiri
Department of Physics and Astronomy
110 N. Professor St.
Oberlin College
Email: yumi.ijiri@oberlin.edu
Phone: (440) 775-6484
Fax: (440) 775-6379
Office: Wright 216
Laboratory: Wright 017
Education:
A.B. in Physics (1991), Princeton
University, summa cum laude
M.S. in Physics (1994), Ph.D. in Physics (1996),Cornell University
Ph.D. thesis advisor: Frank
DiSalvo in the chemistry department
Ph.D. thesis title: Synthesis and Characterization of New Cerium Intermetallic Compounds for Enhanced Thermoelectric Cooling
Applications.
Teaching interests:
Below is a list of courses that I’ve taught while here at Oberlin, along with syllabi and other information.
CHEM65/PHYS 65:
Deconstructing the Computer: the Nature of Electronic Materials. Co-taught with Sarah Stoll, formerly in the chemistry department.
PHYS 104:
Elementary Physics II.
PHYS 111:
Electricity, Magnetism, and Thermodynamics.
PHYS 310:
Classical Mechanics.
PHYS 314:
Intermediate Laboratory.
PHYS 340: Solid
State Physics.
PHYS 351:
Seminar in Modern Physics.
Research interests:
My current research focuses on synthesizing and understanding novel magnetic materials.
-One area of interest to me is in investigating the properties of very small magnetic particles, called “nanoparticles.” I’ve been working with Sara Majetich and her students at Carnegie Mellon in order to understand what happens to magnets on such a small scale. I’ve been using an unusual method known as polarized small angle neutron scattering in order to get quantitative information about magnetic interactions.
-Another effect that I am particularly
interested in, as a result of post-doctoral research I conducted at NIST, is a phenomenon known as "exchange-biasing."
In this effect, the behavior of one magnetic material (a ferromagnet)
is biased as a result of exchange interactions with another (an antiferromagnet). The effect is of much current interest,
for improving the capabilities of sensors in hard disk drives. Specifically, I
have looked at a number of different systems such as Fe3O4/CoO,
Co/CoO, Fe/FeF2, Fe3O4/NiO,
NiFe/CoO, and the like.
-Finally, I have in the past collaborated with Art Smith and his students at Ohio University
This work has been supported by a number of grants and fellowships as
listed below:
-NSF-RUI (2007-present), principal
investigator for “Magnetic interactions in nanoparticle
systems.”
-Research Corporation (2003-2008), principal investigator for “Magnetic
finite size effects in iron-based nanoparticles.”
-ACS-PRF (2003-2007), principal investigator for “Exchange anisotropy in
novel magnetic materials.”
-NASA (2004-2005), principal investigator for “Feasibility study of
ferromagnetic/ferroelectric films for enhanced microwave applications.”
-NSF-CCLI (1999-2002), principal investigator for “A hands-on learning
approach to understanding magnetic materials.” Sarah
Stoll and John Scofield, co-principal investigators.
Through this grant, we have purchased and installed a vibrating sample
magnetometer for use in intermediate and advanced lab classes and research here
at Oberlin.
-ACS-PRF (1999-2002), principal investigator for “Magnetic exchange
anisotropy with modified manganese intermetallics.”
-ACS-PRF (2001), summer faculty fellowship at Carnegie Mellon.
-NRC/NIST Postdoctoral research fellow (1996-1998).
I’ve also been involved in a number of other research projects, studying
-the thermoelectric properties of rare
earth intermetallics as part of my graduate research
-methods for improved ridge waveguide laser diodes at Polaroid
-the chemistry of silicon clusters at Bell Laboratories, now Lucent Technologies
-the behavior of phospholipid bilayers
as an undergraduate thesis project
-the feasibility of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation of buried metal
interfaces while a summer intern at Westinghouse (now CBS so I won't bother
with the hyperlink)