On April 10th, Prof. Xiaodong Xu visited the Institute for Advanced Study of Shenzhen University. Prof. Xiaodong Xu is a Boeing Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physics and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. He received his PhD (Physics, 2008) from the University of Michigan and then performed postdoctoral research (2009-2010) at the Center for Nanoscale Systems at Cornell University. His nanoscale quantum-optoelectronics group at University of Washington focuses on creation, control, and understanding of novel device physics based on low-dimensional quantum materials. Selected awards include DAPRA YFA, NSF Early Career Award, DoE Early Career Award, Cottrell Scholar Award, and IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Semiconductor Physics.
At 10:30, Prof. Xiaodong Xu gave a talk at Conference Room 103 of Office Building, titled “2D Magnets and Heterostructures”. Hosted by Research Scientist Ye Zhou, the lecture attracted over 30 teachers and students, including IAS Dean Prof. Steven F. Chen, Research Scientists Wu Li, Xiaoguang Li, Yongxiang Gao, Xingke Cai and Prof. Changshi Lao and Zhangwei Chen from College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering.
Since the discovery of graphene, the family of two-dimensional (2D) materials has grown to encompass a broad range of electronic properties. However, until recently 2D crystals with intrinsic magnetism were still lacking. Such crystals would enable new ways to study 2D magnetism by harnessing the unique features of atomically-thin materials, such as electrical control for magnetoelectronics and van der Waals (vdW) engineering for novel interface phenomena. In this talk, Prof. Xiaodong Xu described their recent magneto-optical spectroscopy experiments on vdW magnets, chromium(III) iodide CrI3. He discussed the layered antiferromagnetic properties of atomically-thin CrI3 [1,2], electrical control of 2D magnetism [3], giant tunneling magnetoresistance through spin filtering effect in vdW magnetic tunnel junctions [4], and the emerging spin phenomena in vdW magnetic heterostructures [5].
After the report, IAS students and students had stimulating discussions with Prof. Xiaodong Xu for scientific problems.
