Robert C. O'Handley

Senior Research Scientist

AB Physics, Marist 1965
SM Physics, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1969
PhD Physics, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1972

Room 35-336, (617) 253-6913
bobohand@mit.edu
Prof. O'Handley's Research Group

Our programs address fundamental scientific issues and offer the opportunity to do technically relevant work in bulk and thin film crystalline metals, amorphous alloys, and oxides. Our recent discovery of large magnetic field-induced strain in magnetic shape memory alloys is a growing effort. Strains exceeding those produced in piezoelectric materials and conventional magnetostrictive transducers can now be produced in this new class of materials. These magnetically active materials should find applications in transducers, active noise and vibration suppression, micro-positioning and sensors. In another project, the magnetic consequences of misfit strain and dislocations in epitaxial thin films are studied using magneto-optic Kerr effect on films in an MBE machine. Our state of the art measurements of thin film magnetoelastic properties are important to development of advanced thin-film recording heads.

Selected Publications

"Giant Surface Magnetostriction in Polycrystalline Ni and NiFe Films," Appl. Phys. Lett. 64: 2593 (1994) (with others).

"Magnetic Domain Structure in Ultrathin Films," Phys. Rev. Lett. 75: 1839 (1995) (with others).

"Magnetization Process in Perpendicular Epitaxial Cu/Ni/Cu/Si(001)," Appl. Phys. Lett. 81: (1997) (with others).

"Large Magnetic-field-induced Strains in Ni₂MnGa Single Crystals," Appl. Phys. Lett. 69: (Sept. 1996) (with others).

"Model for Strain and Magnetostriction in Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys," J. Appl. Phys. 83: 3263 (1998).

Teaching Involvements

Fall 2006 3.155J Microelectronics Processing Tech.
Spring 2007 3.022 Microstructural Evolution
Spring 2007 3.024 Electronic Properties

Dr. O'Handley's work on "Energy Harvesters" was mentioned in the February 2004 Technology Review.