Structure and Rank of Cyclic codes over a class of non-chain rings

The rings $Z_4+\nu Z_4$ have been classified into chain rings and non-chain rings on the basis of the values of ${\nu }^2\in Z_4+\nu Z_4\mathrm{.}$ In this paper, the structure of cyclic codes of arbitrary length over the rings $Z_4+\nu Z_4$ for those values of ${\nu }^2$ for which these are non-chain rings has been established. A unique form of generators of these codes has also been obtained. Further, rank and cardinality of these codes have been established by finding minimal spanning sets for these codes.