Spin Polarized Electron Emission Device (SPEED)

The application of femtosecond-pulsed, spin-polarized electron microscopy promises to facilitate technical advances in a wide range of fields, from uncovering the intricacies of chiral chemical reactions to observing the behavior of magnetic domains by enabling real-time and real-space observation of dynamics of materials and biological systems with unprecedented precision. Understanding these processes will lead to game-changing breakthroughs in the fields of magnetic data storage, sensors, and spintronic devices. There is, however, no commercially available source of such electrons. The Spin Polarized Electron Emission Device (SPEED) is a key enabling technology in the fields of spin polarized low energy electron diffraction (SPLEEM) and spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy (Spin SEM). In addition to elucidating the fundamental behavior of increasingly important technologies, SPEED technology will also enable the observation of degeneracy pressure in electron antibunching with sufficient precision to discriminate such effects from Coulomb pressure-drive antibunching. A better understanding of these effects will be a significant step toward harnessing quantum degeneracy in magnetic materials. To address the Department of Energy (DOE) need, Hedgefog Research Inc. (HFR) proposes to develop the Spin Polarized Electron Emission Device (SPEED). A turnkey source of ultrafast pulsed, spin-polarized electrons that can be integrated into existing electron microscopes will enable investigation of the dynamics of magnetic textures and magnetic domains in fields from material science to photochemistry. The goal of the proposed development is to demonstrate the feasibility of the SPEED technology for use in representative electron microscope systems as well as for fundamental investigations of electron degeneracy pressure. In Phase I, we plan to achieve two main objectives: (1) demonstrate the feasibility of producing a beam of ultrafast pulsed spin-polarized electrons from GaAs under modest vacuum conditions, allowing for direct integration into existing electron microscope modalities and (2) demonstrate the long- term performance of the SPEED technology in order to demonstrate its viability as a commercial product. The Phase I study will provide system performance metrics in electron beam brightness, degree of polarization, and spatial and temporal resolution and allow development of a preliminary SPEED prototype design for the full-scale feasibility demonstration in Phase II. SPEED technology will enable the proliferation of polarization-resolved electron microscopy. Answering fundamental questions about magnetic materials will accelerate development of faster and more energy- efficient electronic devices, like spintronic transistors and memory storage solutions. Polarized electron microscopy will also enable investigations into a wide variety of materials critical to other applications such as superconductors and solar cells. In addition to the improved quality of life that will be brought about technological advances, each of these technologies drives multi-billion dollar industries. The advancements to these fields brought about by SPEED technology will result in a major economic boost, creating high paying jobs and potentially the formation of entirely new and profitable sectors of the tech economy. SPEED technology will also enable investigation and manipulation of quantum degeneracy in electron beams.