Research

Novel logic and memory materials and devices (ferroelectric/magnetic/spintronic/multiferroic)

Functional thin films and Self-assembled nanocomposites

Ionic engineering for new physics and functionalities (ion defect chemistry/ion migration/ion irradiation)


PersonalProfile

Dr. Shuai Ning joined in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Nankai University in 2021, preceded by about four years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Postdoctoral Associate, working with Prof. Caroline A. Ross in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He received his Bachelor's degree and PhD degree both in Materials Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University in 2012 and 2017. His current research interest includes novel logic and memory materials and devices, functional thin films and self-assembled nanocomposites, and ionic engineering for new physics and functionalities.


CV_Shuai Ning_2024.pdf (updated in Oct. 2024)


Our group is recruiting postdoctoral scholars and PhD/Master students. Candidates with backgrounds of materials science and engineering, materials physics and chemistry, condensed matter physics, or related field are welcome to join us.  


Professional Appointment

2024.01- Present

Professor (tenure-track)

 

 

Nankai University, School of Materials Science and Engineering

2021.02-2023.12

Associate Professor (tenure-track)

 

Nankai University, School of Materials Science and Engineering

2017.09-2021.01

Postdoctoral Associate

Advisor：Prof. Caroline A. Ross

 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Education 

2012.08-2017.06

Ph. D. in Materials Science and Engineering

Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Advisor: Prof. Zhengjun Zhang

2008.08-2012.07

B. E. in Materials Science and Engineering

Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Excellent Graduate (Class of 2012)

Grants

·       National Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Young Scientists Fund. 1/1/2022-12/31/2024. 

·       National Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General Program. 1/1/2023-12/31/2026. 

·       China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program. 10/1/2022-9/30/2025. 

·       National Key Research and Development Program of China, Sub-Project. 1/1/2022-12/31/2026.

·       National Key Research and Development Program of China, Young Scientists Program, Sub-Project. 11/1/2022-10/31/2025.


Representative results

Representative Publications after joining Nankai University

[22] J. Wu, F. Yan, J. Zhao, L. Qian, T. H. Cheng, J. Su, L. Bi, Y. Huang, W. Wang, Z. Zhang*, F. Luo*, S. Ning*, Dynamically Tunable Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance in Self‐Assembled SrCoOx‐Au Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite Thin Films, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 2411358.




[21] F. Yan, J. Wu, S. Ning*, F. Luo*, Orienting Oxygen Vacancy Channels in Brownmillerite Strontium Ferrite Thin Films Using Strain: Implications for Facile Oxygen Ion Transport. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2024, 7, 7703..

[20] J. Zhou, Y. Guan, M. Meng, P. Hong, S. Ning*, F. Luo*, Improving the endurance for ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films by interface and defect engineering, Appl. Phys. Lett. 2024, 124, 092904.  

[19] F. Yan, V. Korostelev, E. Cho, K. Yang, J. Wu, Q. Lu, F. Luo, C. A. Ross*, K. Klyukin*, S. Ning*, Ionic‐Liquid‐Gating‐Induced Hydrogenation in Epitaxial Strontium Ferrite, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2316608. 


[18] E. Cho, A. Kumar, S. Ning, J. M. LeBeau, C. A. Ross, Perovskite‐Derived Layered Crystal Structure in SrCo0.26Fe0.74O3‐δ Thin Films, Advanced Materials Interfaces 2024, 11, 2300807.  

[17] C. Yun, H. Guo, Z. Lin, L. Peng, Z. Liang, M. Meng, B. Zhang, Z. Zhao, L. Wang, Y. Ma, Y. Liu, W. Li, S. Ning, Y. Hou, J. Yang, Z. Luo, Efficient current-induced spin torques and field-free magnetization switching in a room-temperature van der Waals magnet, Sci. Adv. 2023, 9, eadj3955.

[16] Y. Liu, C. Yun, Y. Wang, L. Xu, C. Wang, Z. Li, M. Meng, S. Song, K. Li, D. Li, F. Chen, Y. Liu, Y. Ji, T. You, S. Ning, L. Qiu, H. Yang, and W. Li, Radiation-Hardened and Flexible Pb(Zr(0.53)Ti(0.47))O(3) Piezoelectric Sensor for Structural Health Monitoring, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023,15, 49362.

  

[15] R. Han, P. Hong, S. Ning, Q. Xu, M. Bai, J. Zhou, K. Li, F. Liu, F. Shi, F. Luo, and Z. Huo, The effect of stress on HfO2-based ferroelectric thin films: A review of recent advances, J. Appl. Phys. 2023, 133, 240702.

[14] Y. Guan, J. Zhou, H. Zhong, W. Wang, Z. Zhang, F. Luo, S. Ning*, Thickness dependence of the crystallization and phase transition in ZrO2 thin films, Journal of Advanced Ceramics 2023, 12, 822.

  


[13] Y. Zhang, K. Zou, Z. Gao, Y. Ma, L. Xu, F. Lu, Z. Luo, W.-H. Wang*, S. Ning*, F. Luo*, Large Negative Magnetoresistance in All‐2D‐Materials‐Based Spin Valves, Physica Status Solidi – Rapid Research Letters 2023, 2300073.

  


  

[12] E. Rosenberg, J. Bauer, E. Cho, A. Kumar, J. Pelliciari, C. A. Occhialini, S. Ning, A. Kaczmarek, R. Rosenberg, J. W. Freeland, Y. C. Chen, J. P. Wang, J. LeBeau, R. Comin, F. M. F. de Groot, C. A. Ross, Revealing Site Occupancy in a Complex Oxide: Terbium Iron Garnet, Small 2023, e2300824.

[11] G. Tian, X. Yi, Z. Song, W. Yang, J. Xian, J. Jin, S. Ning, Z. Hou, D. Chen, Z. Fan, M. Qin, G. Zhou, J. Dai, X. Gao, J.-M. Liu, Templated growth strategy for highly ordered topological ferroelectric quad-domain textures, Applied Physics Reviews 2023, 10, 021413.

[10] S. Ning, H. Liu, J. Wu, F. Luo*, Challenges and opportunities for spintronics based on spin orbit torque, Fundamental Research 2022, 2, 535. 

[9] A. Kumar, S. Ning*, T. Su, E. Cho, J. M. LeBeau, C. A. Ross*, Magnetoelectric Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite of YFeO3 and CoFe2O4, Adv. Electron. Mater. 2022, 8, 2200036.


[8] A. Kumar, K. Klyukin, S. Ning, C. Ozsoy‐Keskinbora, M. Ovsyanko, F. van Uden, R. Krijnen, B. Yildiz, C. A. Ross, J. M. LeBeau, Antisite Defects Stabilized by Antiphase Boundaries in YFeO3 Thin Films, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2022, 32, 2107017.

[7] J. Wang, K. Syed, S. Ning, I. Waluyo, A. Hunt, E. J. Crumlin, A. K. Opitz, C. A. Ross*, W. J. Bowman, B. Yildiz, 

Exsolution Synthesis of Nanocomposite Perovskites with Tunable Electrical and Magnetic Properties, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2022, 32, 2108005.

[6] E. Cho, A. Kumar, S. Ning*, J. M. LeBeau, C. A. Ross*, Self-Assembled Multiphase Nanocomposite SrCo1–xFexO3-δ Thin Films with Voltage-Controlled Magnetism for Spintronic Applications, ACS Applied Nano Materials 2022, 5, 14646.

[5] S. Ning*, A. Kumar, K. Klyukin, E. Cho, J. H. Kim, T. Su, H. S. Kim, J. M. LeBeau, B. Yildiz, C. A. Ross, An antisite defect mechanism for room temperature ferroelectricity in orthoferrites, Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 4298.

[4] E. Cho, K. Klyukin, S. Ning, J. Li, R. Comin, R. J. Green, B. Yildiz, C. A. Ross, First-principles calculation of oxygen vacancy effects on the magnetic properties of the perovskite SrNiO3, Phys. Rev. Materials 2021, 5, 094413.

[3] A. Kumar, S. Ning, K. Klyukin, B. Yildiz, C. Ross, J. LeBeau, Probing point and planar defects in multiferroic YFeO3 thin films, Microsc. Microanal. 2021, 27, 2144.

[2] Z. Mo, G. Tian, W. Yang, S. Ning, C. A. Ross, X. Gao, J. Liu, Magnetoelectric coupling in self-assembled BiFeO3–CoFe2O4 nanocomposites on (110)-LaAlO3 substrates, APL Materials 2021, 9, 041109.

[1] T. Su, S. Ning*, E. Cho, C. A. Ross*, Magnetism and site occupancy in epitaxial Y-rich yttrium iron garnet films, Phys. Rev. Materials 2021, 5, 094403.


Representative Publications before joining Nankai University

[1] S. Ning*, Q. Zhang, C. Occhialini, R. Comin, X. Zhong, C. A. Ross*, Voltage Control of Magnetism above Room Temperature in Epitaxial SrCo1-xFexO3-delta, ACS Nano 2020, 14, 8949.

  

[2] S. Ning, S. C. Huberman, Z. Ding, H.-H. Nahm, Y.-H. Kim, H.-S. Kim, G. Chen, C. A. Ross*, Anomalous Defect Dependence of Thermal Conductivity in Epitaxial WO3 Thin Films, Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1903738.

  


[3] S. Ning, S. C. Huberman, C. Zhang, Z. Zhang, G. Chen, C. A. Ross, Dependence of the Thermal Conductivity of BiFeO3 Thin Films on Polarization and Structure, Phys. Rev. Applied 2017, 8, 054049.

  


[4] S. Ning, P. Zhan, Q. Xie, W. Wang, Z. Zhang, Defects-Driven Ferromagnetism in Undoped Dilute Magnetic Oxides: A Review, Journal of Materials Science & Technology 2015, 31, 969.

[5] S. Ning, Z. J. Zhang, Phase-dependent and defect-driven d(0) ferromagnetism in undoped ZrO2 thin films, RSC Adv 2015, 5, 3636.

[6] S. Ning, P. Zhan, W. P. Wang, Z. C. Li, Z. J. Zhang, Defect characterization and magnetic properties in un-doped ZnO thin film annealed in a strong magnetic field, Chinese Physics B 2014, 23, 127503.

[7] S. Ning, P. Zhan, Q. Xie, Z. C. Li, Z. J. Zhang, Room-temperature ferromagnetism in un-doped ZrO2 thin films, Journal of Physics D-Applied Physics 2013, 46, 445004.