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In semiconductor spintronics, the spin of the electron carries information for both storage and data processing. To some extent, the electron spin can be viewed as a miniature bar magnet that interacts with a magnetic field inside the semiconductor. The orientation of the bar magnet acts as a "bit" of information. Many laboratory demonstrations of spintronics have relied on sophisticated optical techniques for reading out the spin state of electrons.

G. Rohrer and P. Salvador/CMU MRSEC, Carnegie Mellon University, NSF DMR- 0520425 L. Wilson and C. Johnson/National Energy Technology Laboratory

Martin P. Harmer and Shen J. Dillon, Lehigh University Supported by the MRSEC Program of the NSF under award number DMR-0520425

A University of Chicago MRSEC team led by Philippe Guyot-Sionnest and Woowon Kang have been investigating the transport properties of colloidal quantum dots under magnetic field [1].

Frustration is not only a state of mind, but also a state of matter wherein the interactions among different subunits cannot all be satisfied. Ordinary water ice is highly frustrated: there are many many different ways in which the protons within the lattice of ice can be arranged, and all are equally good (or bad, depending on your point of view).

Composites of polymers and inorganic nanoparticles offer tremendous promise for the optimization of mechanical properties. Although many claims of improved properties and balanced optimization can be found in the scientific literature over the past several decades, very little fundamental insight has been provided for the true "nano" effect on mechanical properties.