Zuxin YE

Dept. of Physics, Texas A & M University

College Station, TX 77843-4242, USA

Tel: (979) 862-8898

Cell: (631)805-8574

Fax:  (979) 845-2590

Email: zye@neo.tamu.edu

Web:http://people.physics.tamu.edu/zye/

 Home | Curriculum Vitae | Research | Gallery | Publications | Contact | Personal

Research interests

• Electron transport and tunneling in solids; Superconductivity; Magnetism; Vortex dynamics in superconductors; Superconductor-insulator quantum phase transition; Structure, magnetic properties and electron transport in nanowires and nanotubes and their applications

Education

• PhD in Physics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2005

Dissertation: “Magneto-optical imaging of magnetic flux in superconductors” (Advisor: Dr. Qiang Li, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA)

• M. A. in Physics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2001
• B. S. in Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, 1999

Thesis: “Positron annihilation spectroscopy studies of neutron irradiation-induced defects in metals” (Advisors: Profs. B. Ye and H. Weng, USTC, China) 

Awards

·        President’s Award to Distinguished Doctoral Students, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2005 (one of the five recipients in 2005; the highest award for doctoral students at Stony Brook University, based on the outstanding merit of the candidate’s dissertation and its research base)

·        Outstanding Thesis Award, U. of Sci. and Tech. of China, 1999 (one of the two recipients in Dept. of Modern Physics, USTC in 1999)

·        Distinguished Student Award, U. of Sci. and Tech. of China, 1998

Research experience

• Postdoctoral research associate, Jun. 2005 – Present, Robert A. Welch Postdoctoral Fellow (A-0514), 2007-2008, Department of Physics, Texas A&M University, USA. Research supervisors: Prof. Wenhao Wu and Prof. D. G. Naugle

o       Superconductor-insulator quantum phase transitions (SIT) in ultrathin Be films: Observed a quantum critical resistance R_c=4e²/h at magnetic field induced SIT; Examine the existence of Cooper pairs on the insulating side of the SIT using electron transport and tunneling measurements; Study the scaling behavior at magnetic field induced SIT; Study the correlation between film morphology and SIT behavior.

o       Vortex dynamics in a spin-paramagnetically limited superconducting film with a hole array: Synthesis superconducting thin films with a honeycomb nano pore array using e-beam lithography or columnar porous Al₂O₃ templates; Study the coherent vortex lattice motion in a nano periodic pinning potential at low temperature limit in spin-paramagnetically limited ultrathin films.

o       Fabrication, structure and electron transport properties of nanowires and nanotubes: Established an electrochemical synthesis lab to fabricate columnar porous membranes, nanowires and nanotubes and related sample preparation; Observed superconductivity in single crystalline semi-metallic Bi nanowires; Demonstrated a new electrochemical method to fabricate nanowire/nanotube hybrids (nanowires grown in oxide-nanotubes); Study the crystalline structure change induced by small template pore size, magnetic properties and electron transport in electroplated magnetic nanowires.

o       Superconducting film/magnetic nanowire array hybrid systems: synthesis the hybrids with magnetic nanowire arrays standing on a superconducting thin film; Study the vortex dynamics in superconducting thin films with the presence of a nano-scale periodic strong perpendicular magnetic field. 

• Instructor/Fellow, Mar. 2005 – May 2005, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, USA. Research supervisor: Prof. Wenhao Wu.

o       Superconductor-insulator transitions in ultrathin superconducting films: Studied low temperature electron transport and tunneling in ultrathin films.

o       Nanowire growth based on electroplating and characterization; studied the atomic contact between a nanowire and a bulk electrode. 

• Research assistant, May. 2001 – Feb. 2005, Department of Material Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Qiang Li (BNL)

o       Magneto-Optical Imaging (MOI) of magnetic structure, a technique directly sees magnetic field.

o       Dendritic flux jump in MgB₂ thin films and its origin: Observed different flux penetration behavior in carbon-doped and ultrapure crystalline MgB₂ films and found that the dendritic flux instability was dominated by the normal state resistivity.

o       Flux pinning enhancement induced by substrate surface roughness in YBCO films: Directly compare critical current density using MOI on YBCO films with or without substrate surface roughness. Special LaAlO₃ substrates were chosen to have a region of smooth surface and a region with rough surface for YBCO growth. All other growth effects influencing critical current, except the roughness, were excluded.

o       Studied Bean critical state model of vortices in perfect superconductors

o       Studied the fractal flux penetration pattern in superconductor thin films and its correlation with the microstructure of the thin films

o       Studied the magnetic flux penetration in superconductor/ferromagnet bi-layer hybrids. Direct imaging of flux penetration on the superconductor side and on the ferromagnet side in a coherent fashion.

o       Direct observation of domain wall motion in Co thin films inter-dispersed with MnO₂ nano-particles. 

• Research assistant, 1997 – 1999, Department of Modern Physics, Univ. of Science and Technology of China. Advisors: Profs. B. Ye and H. Weng (USTC)

o       Applications of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (Doppler broadening  energy spectra, life-time and angle-correlation spectra) in the studies of defects in metals that are induced by fast neutron irradiation.

Teaching experience

• Texas A & M University, 2005-present

Trained graduate and undergraduate students in experimental techniques and data analysis. (e.g. Low temperature electrical and magnetic measurements, electrochemical synthesis of nanowires and nanotubes, vacuum techniques)

• Teaching assistant, Aug. 1999 – May. 2001, State University of New York at Stony Brook

o       Physics lab instruction and recitation for the course of Physics for Life Science (a first year physics course for non-physics majored undergraduate students); Grade for teaching: A

o       Teaching assistant for Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory and Thermal Physics (Physics majored undergraduate courses) Grade for teaching: A 

Media reports about my research

• A press release, titled “Helping out a High-Temperature Superconductor”, was issued by Brookhaven National Laboratory on Sept. 14, 2005 to report our work, “Enhanced flux pinning in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-d Films by nano-scaled substrate surface roughness”, which was published on Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 122502 (2005).
• Superconductor Week, on the headlines of Vol. 19, Num. 23, title: Brookhaven National Lab Finds Substrate Roughness Improves Critical Current Density in YBCO

Professional membership and activities

• Member of American Physical Society
• Reviewer for Nanotechnology, Physica B, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity and AIP Conference Proceeding

Experimental skills

• High vacuum technique; Ultra-low temperature techniques, dilution refrigerators and various cryostats; Superconducting magnets
• Low temperature electronic transport and tunneling measurements; Magnetic property measurements
• Optical microscopy; magneto-optical imaging; SEM; TEM; AFM/MFM
• Optic lithography; Electron-beam lithography;
• Thin film fabrication: thermal or electron-beam evaporation, sputtering
• Electroplating; sol-gel deposition

• Nanowire/nanotube fabrication; anodic porous template fabrication

Publications

1)   Zuxin Ye, D. G. Naugle, Wenhao Wu, and I. Lyuksyutov, “Superconducting properties of Pb/Bi films quench-condensed on a porous alumina substrate filled with Co nanowires”, accepted by Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism (2009).

2)      Zuxin Ye, Haidong Liu, Zhiping Luo, Han-Gil Lee, Wenhao Wu, D. G. Naugle and I. Lyuksyutov, “Thickness dependence of microstructure and magnetic properties in electroplated Co nanowires”, Nanotechnology 20, 045704 (2009) .

3)      Zuxin Ye, Haidong Liu, Zhiping Luo, Han-Gil Lee, Wenhao Wu, D. G. Naugle and I. Lyuksyutov, “Changes in the crystalline structure of electroplated Co nanowires induced by small template pore size”, Journal of Applied Physics 105, 07E126 (2009).

4)      Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Wenhao Wu and K. D. D. Rathnayaka, “Localized phase-slip centers in proximity-induced long superconducting nanowires”, Journal of Applied Physics 105, 07E305 (2009).

5)      Alexandre A. Kolomenskii, Sergey N. Jerebtsov, Haidong Liu, Hong Zhang, Zuxin Ye, Zhiping Luo, Wenhao Wu, Hans A. Schuessler, “Observation of coherent acoustic and optical phonons in bismuth nanowires by a femtosecond pump-probe technique”, Journal of Applied Physics 104, 103110 (2008).

6)      Zuxin Ye, Haidong Liu, Isabel Schultz, Wenhao Wu, D. G. Naugle and I. Lyuksyutov, “Template-based fabrication of nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays”, Nanotechnology 19, 325303 (2008). (featured on the issue cover)

7)      Zuxin Ye, Hong Zhang, Haidong Liu, Wenhao Wu, and Zhiping Luo, “Observation of superconductivity in single crystalline Bi nanowires”, Nanotechnology 19, 085709 (2008).

8)      Zuxin Ye, Wenhao Wu, and Haidong Liu, “Resistance Fluctuations in Ultra Thin Al Films with a Honeycomb Pore Structure”, Physica B 403, 1173 (2008).

9)      Zuxin Ye, H. Zhang, H. Liu, Wenhao Wu, Z. Luo, “Evidence of Superconductivity in Single-Crystalline Bi Nanowires”, Physica B 403, 1529 (2008).

10)      Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Zhiping Luo, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, and Wenhao Wu, "Boundary effect on superconductivity in long single-crystal superconducting nanowires", Physica C 468, 304 (2008).

11)  Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Hong Zhang, Wenhao Wu, Zhiping Luo, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, and D. G. Naugle, “Superconducting proximity effect in single-crystal Sn Nanowires”, Physica B 403, 1542 (2008).

12)  H. Zhang, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, W. Wu, Z. Luo, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, and D. G. Naugle, “Magneto-resistance of electrochemically fabricated Bi nanowires”, Physica B 403, 1550 (2008).

13)  Qiang Li, Z. X. Ye, “Quantitative Magneto-Optical Imaging for Superconducting Thick Films and Tapes”, J. Electronic Materials 36, 1288 (2007).

14)  S. N. Jerebtsov, A. A. Kolomenskii, H. Liu, H. Zhang, Zuxin Ye, Z. Luo, W. Wu, G. Paulus, H. A. Schuessler, “Laser-excited acoustic oscillations in silver and bismuth nanowires”, Physical Review B 76, 184301 (2007).

15)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, Y. Hu, W. D. Si, P. D. Johnson, and Y. Zhu, “Enhanced flux pinning in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-d Films by nano-scaled substrate surface roughness”, Applied Physics Letters 87, 122502 (2005).

16)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, W. D. Si, M. Suenaga, V. F. Solovyov, and P. D. Johnson, “Response of fractal penetration of magnetic flux to disorder landscape in superconducting films”, Physical Review B 72, 134514 (2005).

17)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, W. D. Si, and P. D. Johnson, “Critical current density enhancement in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-d thin films by twin domains of LaAlO₃ substrates”, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity Vol. 15, Issue 2, 3013 (2005).

18)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, Yufeng Hu, A. V. Pogrebnyakov, Y. Cui, X. X. Xi, J. M. Redwing, and Qi Li, “Magneto-optical imaging studies of flux propagation in ultra-pure and carbon-doped MgB₂ thin films”, IEEE Transaction on Applied Superconductivity Vol. 15, Issue 2, 3273 (2005).

19)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, Y. F. Hu, A. V. Pogrebnyakov, Y. Cui, X. X. Xi, J. M. Redwing, and Qi Li, “Electron scattering dependence of dendritic magnetic instability in superconducting MgB₂ films”, Applied Physics Letters 85, 5284 (2004).

20)  Qiang Li, M. Suenaga, Z. Ye, S. R. Foltyn, and H. Wang, “Reversal of Thickness Dependence of Critical Current Density J_c(T,H) in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-d Thick Films”, Applied Physics Letters 84, 3528 (2004).

21)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, M. Suenaga, and V. F. Solovyov, “Magneto Optical Studies of YBCO Thick Films in The Critical State”, NATO Science Series II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Volume 142, “Magneto-Optical Imaging”, Eds. T.H.Johansen and D. V. Shantsev, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Hardbound, ISBN 1-4020-1997-1, p175-182, May 2004.

22)  M. Suenaga, Q. Li, Z. Ye, M. Iwakuma, K. Toyota, F. Funaki, S. R. Foltyn, H. Wang, and John. R. Clem, “Thickness Dependence of AC Losses in Circular Disks of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ Films in Perpendicular Magnetic Fields”, Journal of Applied Physics 95, 208 (2004).

23)  M. Suenaga, V. F. Solovyov, Q. Li, Z. Ye, H. J. Wiesmann, M. Iwakuma, M. Fukui, K. Toyota, F. Funaki, T. H. Johansen, D. V. Shantsev and J. R. Clem, “AC Loss in Circular Disks of Thin YBa₂Cu₃O₇ Films in Perpendicular Magnetic Fields”, Journal of Applied Physics 94, 502 (2003).

24)  Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, G. D. Gu, J. J. Tu, W. N. Kang, Eun-Mi Choi, Hyeong-Jin Kim, and Sung-Ik Lee, “Magneto-Optical Studies of the Critical States in c-axis Oriented MgB₂ Thin Film and Bulk MgB₂/Mg Nano-Composites”, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity 13, 3722 (2003).

25)  Qiang Li, L. Wu, Y. Zhu, A. R. Moodenbaugh, G. D. Gu, M. Suenaga, Z. X. Ye, and D. A. Fisher, “Comparative Studies of MgB₂/Mg Nano-Composites and Press- Sintered MgB₂ Pellets”, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity 13, 3051 (2003).

26) Bangjiao Ye, Zuxin Ye, Huimin Weng, Yangmei Fan, Xianyi Zhou and Rongdian Han, “Experimental determination of structure defects induced by fast neutron irradiation”, China 8^th Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy Workshop Proceeding, 2002, China. (in Chinese).

Invited talks

1)   “Template based electrochemical nano engineering, physics and applications”, Physics Seminar, University of Loyola at New Orleans, April 2009.

2)      “Electrochemical deposition of magnetic nanowire arrays in porous Al₂O₃ templates”, Condensed Matter Physics Seminar, Texas A&M University, Sept. 2008.

3)      “Dendritic flux jump in superconducting films”, Physics seminar, State Univ. of New York at Stony Brook, May 2005.

4)      “Magneto-optical imaging of magnetic flux in superconductors”. President’s awards to Distinguished Doctoral Students Colloquia, State Univ. New York at Stony Brook, May 2005.

5)      “Magneto-optical imaging of magnetic flux in superconductors”,Condensed Matter Physics Seminar, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of Rochester, January 2005.

Conference presentations

1)      “Fabrication of nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays in porous aluminum oxide membranes”, Zuxin Ye, Haidong Liu, Isabel Schultz, Wenhao Wu, D. G. Naugle and I. Lyuksyutov, 2009 American Physical Society March Meeting, March 16 2009, Pittsburgh, USA.

2)      “Comparative studies of Co nanowires of different diameters electroplated into porous aluminum oxide membranes”, Zuxin Ye, H. Liu, Z. Luo, H. Lee, W. Wu, D. G. Naugle and I. Lyuksyutov, 2009 American Physical Society March Meeting, March 19, 2009, Pittsburgh, USA.

3)      “I-V studies of proximity-induced superconductivity in long nanowires”, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, and Wenhao Wu, 2009 American Physical Society March Meeting, March 18, 2009, Pittsburgh, USA.

4)      “Superconducting properties of Pb/Bi films quench-condensed on a porous alumina substrate filled with Co nanowires”, Zuxin Ye, D. G. Naugle, Wenhao Wu, and I. Lyuksyutov, Seventh International Conference on New Theories, Discoveries and Applications of Superconductors and Related Materials, May 2009, Beijing, China.

5)      “Comparative studies of Co nanowires of different diameters electroplated into porous aluminum oxide membranes”, Zuxin Ye, H. Liu, Z. Luo, H. Lee, W. Wu, D. G. Naugle and I. Lyuksyutov, 53^rd Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Nov. 2008, Austin, USA.

6)      “Long range proximity effect in nanowires investigated by I-V measurements”, H. Liu, Z. Ye, W. Wu and K. Rathnayaka, 53^rd Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Nov. 2008, Austin, USA.

7)      “Magnetic field tuned superconductor-insulator transition in Be ultrathin films”, Zuxin Ye and Wenhao Wu, American Physical Society March Meeting 2008, New Orleans, USA.

8)      “Templated electrochemical deposition of nanowire/nanotube hybrid systems”, Zuxin Ye, Haidong Liu, Isabel Schultz and Wenhao Wu, American Physical Society March Meeting 2008, New Orleans, USA.

9)      “Anomalous long range proximity effect in template fabricated single crystal superconducting nanowires”, Wenhao WU, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Zhiping Luo and K. D. D. Rathnayaka, American Physical Society March Meeting 2008, New Orleans, USA.

10)  “Electron microscopy analysis of nanowires electrochemically deposited into porous membranes”, Haidong Liu, Zhiping Luo, Zuxin Ye, and Wenhao Wu, American Physical Society March Meeting 2008, New Orleans, USA.

11)  “Effect of boundaries on superconductivity in single crystal nanowires”, Haidong Liu, Zhiping Luo, Zuxin Ye, Hong Zhang, Wenhao WU, K. D. D. Rathnayaka and D. G. Naugle, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting 2007, Boston, USA.

12)  “Evidence for superconductivity in single crystalline Bi nanowires”, Zuxin Ye, and Wenhao Wu, the International Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems (SCES07), May 2007, Houston, USA.

13)  “Superconductivity of Nanowires in Contact with Bulk Metals”, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Hong Zhang, Wenhao Wu, Zhiping Luo, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, and D. G. Naugle, the International Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems (SCES07), May 2007, Houston, USA.

14)  “Magneto-resistance of electrochemically fabricated Bi nanowires”, H. Zhang, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, W. Wu, Z. Luo, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, and D. G. Naugle, the International Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems (SCES07), May 2007, Houston, USA.

15)  “Low temperature electron transport studies of Bi nanowires”, Zuxin Ye, Hong Zhang, Haidong Liu and Wenhao Wu, American Physical Society March Meeting 2007, Denver, USA.

16)  “Transport and optical properties of electrochemically fabricated Bi nanowires”, Hong Zhang, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Wenhao Wu, Serguei Jerebtsov, Alexandre Kolomenski and Hans Schuessler, American Physical Society March Meeting 2007, Denver, USA.

17)  “Superconductivity of nanowires in contact with bulk metals”, Haidong Liu, Zuxin Ye, Hong Zhang and Wenhao Wu, American Physical Society March Meeting 2007, Denver, USA.

18)  “Magnetic induction profile in superconductor/ferromagnet bilayers”, Qiang Li and Zuxin Ye, American Physical Society March Meeting 2007, Denver, USA.

19)  “Magnetization controlled superconductivity in a Pb film on a perpendicular array of ferromagnetic Co nanowires”, Zuxin Ye, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, Wenhao Wu, Haidong Liu, Hong Zhang, D. Naugle, I. Lyuksyutov and J. Ross, American Physical Society March Meeting 2006, Baltimore, USA.

20)  “Quantized conductance observed in reversible atomic contacts fabricated by template electroplating using an on-membrane anode”, Zuxin Ye and Wenhao Wu, American Physical Society March Meeting 2006, Baltimore, USA.

21)  “Magneto-optical imaging studies of dendritic flux jump in MgB₂ films”, Zuxin Ye, and Qiang Li, 24^th International Conference on Low Temperature Physics, August 2005, Orlando, USA.

22)  “Magnetic interaction between vortices and magnetic domains in superconductor/ferromagnetic multilayers”, Qiang Li, Yufeng Hu, Zuxin Ye, and Weidong Si, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting 2004, Boston, USA.

23)  “Magneto-optical imaging studies of flux propagation in ultra-pure and carbon-doped MgB₂ thin films”, Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, Y. F. Hu, A.V. Pogrebnyakov, Y. Cui, X.X. Xi, J.M. Redwing and Q. Li, Applied Superconductivity Conference, October 2004, Jacksonville, USA.

24)  “Critical current density enhancement in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-d thin films by twin domains of LaAlO₃ substrates”, Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, W. D. Si and P. D. Johnson, Applied Superconductivity Conference, October 2004, Jacksonville, USA.

25)  “Magneto-optical studies of fractal flux penetration in type II superconductors with different disorder size”, Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, V. F. Solovyov, M. Suenaga and W. D. Si, American Physical Society March Meeting 2004, Montreal, Canada.

26)  “Reversal of thickness dependence of Jc in YBCO thick films”, Qiang Li, Zuxin Ye, Masaki Suenaga, Stephen Foltyn and Haiyan Wang, American Physical Society March Meeting 2004, Montreal, Canada.

27)   “Magneto-optical studies of thickness dependence of flux pinning in YBCO films grown on twinned LaAlO₃ substrates”, Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li and Weidong Si, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, December 2003, Boston, USA.

28)  “Magneto-optical imaging of flux pinning characteristics in YBCO thick films grown by PLD and BaF₂ ex-situ processes”, Qiang Li, Zuxin Ye, Masaki Suenaga, Yimei Zhu, V. Solovyov, Weidong Si and Stephen R Foltyn, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, December 2003, Boston, USA.

29)  “Magneto-optical studies of the critical state in superconducting thin films”, Zuxin Ye, and Qiang Li, American Physical Society March Meeting 2003, Austin, USA.

30)  “Magneto-optical studies of ac loss in YBCO thin films and the effect of non-uniform flux pinning on the critical current in HTS”, Qiang Li, Zuxin Ye and M. Suenaga, American Physical Society March Meeting 2003, Austin, USA.

31)  “Magneto-optical studies of the critical states in c-axis oriented MgB₂ thin films and bulk-Mg-MgB₂ nano-composites”, Zuxin Ye, Qiang Li, G. D. Gu, J. J. Tu, W. N. Kang, Eun-Mi Choi, H. Kim, and S. Lee, Applied Superconductivity Conference, August 2002, Houston, USA.

32)  “Comparative Studies of MgB₂/Mg Nano-Composites and Press- Sintered MgB₂ Pellets”, Qiang Li, L. Wu, Y. Zhu, A. R. Moodenbaugh, G. D. Gu, M. Suenaga, Z. X. Ye, and D. A. Fisher, Applied Superconductivity Conference, August 2002, Houston, USA.