A new experimental discovery, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota, demonstrates that the chemical element ruthenium (Ru) is the fourth single element to have unique magnetic properties at room temperature. The discovery could be used to improve sensors, devices in the computer memory and logic industry, or other devices using magnetic materials.  

“Magnetism is always amazing. It proves itself again. We are excited and grateful to be the first group to experimentally demonstrate and add the fourth ferromagnetic element at room temperature to the periodic table,” said University of Minnesota Robert F. Hartmann professor of electrical and computer engineering Jian-Ping Wang, the corresponding author for the paper and Quarterman’s advisor.

In addition to Quarterman, Wang, and Voyles, researchers involved in this study include Javier Garcia-Barriocanal from the University of Minnesota Characterization Facility; Yang Lv from the University of Minnesota Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mahendra DC from the University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy; Sasikanth Manipatruni, Demitri Nikonov, and Ian Yang from Intel Components Research; and Congi Sun from the University of Wisconsin Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

To read the full paper entitled “Demonstration of Ru as the 4th ferromagnetic element at room temperature,” by Quarterman et al, visit the Nature Communications website.

This research is also covered by UofM, Tiwincities Geek.

Link

The recent issue of Open Rivers Journal reported our research in mercury detection.

Mercury contamination has been an important environmental and health concern throughout the world for decades. High exposures to the mercuric ion (Hg²⁺) may result in acrodynia (pink disease) and damage to the nervous system and kidneys. Furthermore, the mercuric ion is stable and soluble in aquatic systems, and methylmercury can accumulate in bodies through the food chain, which is known to cause brain damage and other chronic diseases, even paralysis, and death. Nowadays, the detection of trace-level toxic heavy metal ions mostly relies on bulky and costly analytical instruments in central labs. Driven by this need, Prof. Jian-Ping Wang and his group at the University of Minnesota developed and tested a diagnostic platform designed to detect mercuric ion (Hg²⁺) using nanotechnology.

Find the article here.

Zhengyang Zhao is awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from the Graduate School. The fellowship supports his Ph.D. study for one academic year and provides a travel grant for him to present his work at a conference. Congratulations, Zhengyang!

Congratulations to Dr. De-lin Zhang. His paper is selected as the cover figure on Applied Physics Letters Volume 112, Issue 15.

Congratulations to Yang Lv! His recently published paper on Nature Communications is selected as Editors’ Highlights under the topic of magnetic materials and spintronics.

This research is also covered by a couple of media hits so far:

CSE website, AAAS EurekAlert!, Newswise, Phys.org, Eurasia Review. 

Congratulations to Dr. Junyang Chen, his recent paper "Mapping strain with magnetics" is published in Nature Electronics!

Congratulations to Patrick Quarterman, who has successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis on January 26. His dissertation topic is High Anisotropy Magnetic Materials for Data Storage and Spintronic Memory. 

He will be joining the NIST through the NRC research associate program as a postdoctoral physicist, at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) with the magnetics group.

Congrats again, Dr. Quarterman!

PhD student Patrick Quarterman is offered a National Research Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) starting from March 2018. He will be joining the NIST through the NRC research associate program as a post doctoral physicist, at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) with the magnetics group.

Congratulations Patrick!

Yang Lv and Prof. Wang's recent work published in Nature Communications was highlighted in several news release. Congratulations!!!

Here are a couple of the media hits so far:

CSE website, AAAS EurekAlert!, Newswise, Phys.org, Eurasia Review. 

In addition to Prof. Wang and Yang Lv, researchers involved in this study include Delin Zhang and Mahdi Jamali from our group and James Kally, Joon Sue Lee and Nitin Samarth from Pennsylvania State University Department of Physics.