Ruihua Cheng
Assistant Professor

Email Dr. Cheng
Phone: 317-274-6902

Education

B.S. Physics, Northern Jiaotong University, P.R. China, 1993
M.Sc. Physics, Northern Jiaotong University, P.R. China, 1996
M.Sc. Physics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE, 2000
Ph.D. Physics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE, 2002

Research

My research is mainly to study the phenomena of nanomagnetism through the fabrication and characterization of magnetic nanostructure materials with the goal of understanding the new materials phenomena and exploring and potential technological applications in spintronic devices and sensors.

Nanomagnetism refers to reducing magnetic systems down to the nanometer. It has been shown that the finite-size effects can be harnessed and utilized in a wide range of new technology applications. The fundamental magnetic properties such as spontaneous magnetization, magnetic anisotropy, the magnitude of spin and orbital moments and magnetic interactions are strongly dependent on the geometry confinement of a given system. Magnetic nanodots and nanowires can be fabricated by molecular beam epitaxial growth. The magnetic and electronic properties of these nanostructures can be characterized in situ .

Spin-dependent transport in hybrid structures involves a combination of ferromagnetic (F) and semiconductor or normal metals. The interplay between the different types of interactions and correlations present in each can produce a host of interesting spin-dependent effects. We study t he spin-dependent transport in confined geometries including quantum dots, quantum wires, magnetic single-electron transistors, hybrid multilayers, and thin ferromagnetic films. Many of which have direct potential for applications .


Publications

Cheng R, Pearson J and Li D (2005)
Guided Self-Assembly Growth of Epitaxial Co Dots on Lithographically Pattered Ru Single Crystals .
J. Mag. Mag. Mater, 286, 14.

Cheng R, Gusliyenko K, Fradin FY, Pearson J, Ding HF, Li D and Bader SD (2005)
Step Decorated Ferromagnetic Fe Nanostripes on Pt(997).
Phys Rev B 72, 014409.

Ding Hf, Schmid AK, Keaveny D, Li D, Cheng R, Pearson JE, Fradin FY and Bader SD (2005)
Selective Deposition of Co Nanodots on Ru(0001).
Phys Rev B 72, 035413.

Ding HF, Pearson JE, Li D, Cheng R, Fradin FY, Bader SD (2005)
Electron Beam Tip/Sample Heating Device for a Scanning Tunnneling Microscope.
Review of Science Instrument 76, 123703.

Li D, Cheng R, Yu, C, Pearson J, Fradin FY and Bader SD (2004)
Placement of Epitaxial Magnetic Co Dots on Ru(0001) via Substrate Modifications.
J. Appl. Phys., 95, 6663.

Cheng R, Pearson J, Ding H, Mathus V, Bader SD, Fradin FY and Li D (2004)
Self-Assembled Epitaxial Magnetic Lateral Structures on Ru: Controlling the Shape and Placement.
Phys. Rev., B 69, 184409.

Cheng R, Caruso AN, Yuan L, Liou SH and Dowben PA (2003)
Magnetic Coupling in Co/Cr2O3/CrO2 Trilayer Films.
Appl. Phys. Lett., 82, 1443.

Cheng R, Borca CN, Pilet N, Xu B, Yuan L, Doudin B, Liou SH and Dowben PA (2002)
Oxidation of Metals at the Chromium Oxide Interface.
Appl. Phys. Lett., 81, 2109.
 

 

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