Steven T. Ruggiero

Professor,
Condensed Matter Physics

Research Interests

The research in Prof. Ruggiero's group involves the material and transport properties of new thin-film materials. This includes superconductors, ferromagnets, and organic systems. Techniques employed include atomic-force and scanning tunneling microscopy. Experiments are typically conducted at high magnetic fields and/or low temperatures (down to 60 mK).

Current work involves the study of spin injection across ferromagnetic/semiconductor interfaces and intrinsic magneto-optic effects in ferromagnetic films. This effort is directed toward understanding the fundamental physics and feasibility of spintronic (spin-based) devices.

Most recently, new superconducting materials are being developed based on dilutely doped elemental superconductors. These systems are being used for ultra sensitive “transition-edge” superconducting x-ray sensors for space missions, and are the basis of the first practical micro tunneling refrigerators operating in the 100 mK regime.

Selected Publications:

"Magneto-optic Effects in Spin-injection Devices," S.T. Ruggiero, T. Williams, C.E. Tanner, S. Potashnik, J. Moreland, and W.H. Rippard, Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 4599-4601 (2003).

"Practical Tunneling Refrigerator," A.M. Clark, A. Williams, S.T. Ruggiero, M.L. van den Berg, J.N. Ullom, Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 625-7 (2004). (This is the cover article for the Jan. 26 edition of Applied Physics Letters.)

"Cooling of bulk material by electron-tunneling refrigerators ," A.M. Clark, N.A. Miller, A. Williams, S.T. Ruggiero, G.C. Hilton, L.R. Vale, J.A. Beall, K.D. Irwin, and J.N. Ullom, Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 173508 (2005). (This is the cover article for the April 25 edition of Applied Physics Letters.)

"Superconducting Devices," (Book) S.T. Ruggiero and D.A. Rudman, Eds. (Academic, New York, 1990).

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