Faculty
Educational Background
Columbia University, Dept. of Physics, New York, NY, Ph.D. in Physics 2011; M. A. in Physics, 2007
University of Science and Technology of China, Dept. of Material Science and Engineering, Hefei, China, B. S. in Material Physics, 2005
Professional Experience
Southern University of Science and Technology, Department of Physics Shenzhen, China, Associate Professor, 2016/05-Present
National Institute of Standard and Technology, Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology Gaithersburg, MD, Visiting Professor, Energy Research Group, 2015/10 -2016/01
Conducted joint research project on novel nanoscale electrical devices and investigated electron surface states of future electronic material in real device geometries
Southern University of Science and Technology, Department of Physics Shenzhen, China, Assistant Professor, 2015/07-2016/05
Building a lab to investigate the electronic properties of low dimensional nanoscale devices
National Institute of Standard and Technology, Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Research Associate, Energy Research Group, Mentor: Joseph Stroscio, Nikolai Zhitenev, 2012/01-2015/02
Led two research projects and developed new microscopic measurement method to investigate future electronic materials in real device geometries;
Developed nanofabrication techniques of nanoscale electrical devices that are optimized for characterization by low temperature, ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy
Discovered electron whispering gallery modes in gate tunable circular graphene pn junction devices by STM, and observed spectra gaps and modified Landau level spectra due to tip induced potential modification to graphene's Dirac wave function;
Observed strong asymmetric charge carrier dependence in inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy of graphene phonons
Columbia University Physics Department New York, NY, Research Assistant, Condensed Matter Physics Research Group, Advisor: Prof. Philip Kim, 2007/07-2011/12
Studied the transport of monolayer graphene and bilayer graphene in the quantum Hall regime
Investigated fractional quantum Hall effect in monolayer graphene by exploring wet chemical etching to suspend electronic devices for higher mobility
Explored tunable graphene work function by electric field effect using scanning kelvin probe microscopy(SKPM)
Worked on organic thin film transistor (Rubrene) using one step micro-patterning of CVD graphene electrodes
University of Science and Technology of China Hefei, China, Research Assistant, Condensed Matter Physics Research Group, Advisor: Prof. Hongshun Yang, 2004/07-2005/07
Conducted thermoelectric measurements of quasi-one-dimensional organic superconductor.
Selected Publications
11). “Tomography of a Probe Potential Using Atomic Sensors on Graphene” J. Wyrick, F. D. Natterer, Y. Zhao, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, W. G. Cullen, N. B. Zhitenev, and J. A. Stroscio, ACS Nano 10(12), 10698 (2016).
10). “Strong Asymmetric Charge Carrier Dependence in Inelastic Electron Tunneling Spectroscopy of Graphene Phonons” F. D. Natterer, Y. Zhao, J. Wyrick, Y. Chan, W. Ruan, M. Chou, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, N. B. Zhitenev, and J. A. Stroscio, Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 245502 (2015), editor’s suggestion.
9). “Creating and Probing Electron Whispering-Gallery Modes in Graphene” Y. Zhao, J. Wyrick, F. D. Natterer, J. F. Rodriguez-Nieva, C. Lewandowski, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, L. S. Levitov, N. B. Zhitenev, and J. A. Stroscio, Science 348, 6235, 672-675 (2015).
8). “Organic Field Effect Transistors Based on Graphene and Hexagonal Boron Nitride Heterostructures” S. J. Kang, G. Lee, Y. Yu, Y. Zhao, B. Kim, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, J. Hone, P. Kim, and C. Nuckolls, Adv. Funct. Mater. 24, 32, 5157-5163 (2014).
7). “Magnetoresistance Measurements of Graphene at the Charge Neutrality Point” Y. Zhao, P. Cadden-Zimansky, F. Ghahari, and P. Kim, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 106804 (2012).
6). “Inking elastomeric stamps with micro-patterned, single layer graphene” S. J. Kang, B. Kim, K. S. Kim, Y. Zhao, Z. Chen, and P. Kim, C. Nuckolls, Adv. Mater. 23, 3531 (2011).
5). “Measurement of the ν=1/3 fractional quantum hall energy gap in suspended graphene” F. Ghahari, Y. Zhao, P. Cadden-Zimansky, K. Bolotin, P. Kim, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 046801 (2011).
4). “Symmetry breaking of the zero energy Landau level in bilayer graphene” Y. Zhao, P. Cadden-Zimansky, Z. Jiang and P. Kim, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 066801 (2010), editor’s suggestion, selected for a viewpoint in Physics.
3). “Tuning the graphene work function by electric field effect” Y. J. Yu, Y. Zhao, S. Ryu, L. E. Brus, K. S. Kim, and P. Kim, Nano Lett. 9, 3430 (2009).
2). “Large-scale pattern growth of graphene films for stretchable transparent electrodes” K. S. Kim, Y. Zhao, H. Jang, S. Y. Lee, J. M. Kim, K. S. Kim, J. H. Ahn, P. Kim, J. Choi and B. H. Hong, Nature 457, 706 (2009).
1). “Measurement of scattering rate and minimum conductivity in graphene” Y. W. Tan, Y. Zhang, K. Bolotin, Y. Zhao, S. Adam, E. H. Hwang, S. Das Sarma, H. L. Stormer, P. Kim, Phys. Rev.Lett. 99, 246803 (2007).
Presentations and Posters
The 18th International Symposium on the Physics of Semiconductors and Applications, Jeju, Korea, Jul. 2016
The 19th Annual Conference of the Physical Society of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Jun.2016
HUST Physics Department Seminar, Wuhan, China, May. 2016
ICQD Young Scientists’ Forum on Quantum Matters, Hefei, China, May. 2016
American Physical Society(APS) March Meeting, Baltimore, MD, Mar. 2016
City University of Hong Kong Joint Workshop on Disorder and Disordered Materials, Hong Kong, Jan. 2016
SUSTC Physics Forum 2015-Topological Matters and Quantum Materials, Shenzhen, China, Nov. 2015
City University of Hong Kong Colloquium in Dept. of Physics and Material Science, Hong Kong, Sep. 2015
SUSTC Physics Dept. Seminar, Shenzhen, China, Jun. 2015
International Conference on Nanoscience + Technology, Vail, CO, Jul. 2014
American Physical Society(APS) March Meeting, Denver, CO, Mar. 2014
East Lake Forum at HUST, Wuhan, China, Dec. 2013
NIST/CNST Seminar Gaithersburg, MD Jul. 2011
IBM Watson Center Seminar Yorktown Heights, NY, Jul. 2011
Penn State University Physics Dept. Seminar, University Park, PA, Jul. 2011
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Physics Dept. Seminar, Champaign, IL, Jun. 2011
American Physical Society(APS) March Meeting, Dallas, TX, Mar. 2011
Graphene Week (Poster) , College Park, MA, Apr. 2010
American Physical Society(APS) March Meeting, Portland, OR, Mar. 2010
Beyond Moore’s Law 2 (Poster) Jeju, Korea Feb. 2010
Gotham-Metro Condensed Matter Meeting (Poster), New York, NY, Nov. 2009
American Physical Society(APS) March Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, Mar. 2009
Professional Activities
Lectured General Physics II on spring semester 2016 and 2017, General Physics I on fall semester of 2017;
Served as a member of council of Shenzhen Young Science and Technology Talents Association from 2016;
Mentored students in Zhicheng College;
Served as a teaching assistant for undergraduate physics classes in Columbia University: Classical and Quantum Waves(C2601), Introduction to Electricity/Magnetisms and Optics(C1402), and taught recitation sessions for C2601;
Lectured and organized teaching assistants for physics and engineering labs as the preceptor in Columbia
University Physics Department;
Co-organized the Gotham-Metro Condensed Matter Meeting in 2009;
Served as a reviewer for Physical Review Letters, Physical Review B, Journal of Low Temperature Physics, Scientific Reports and Nano Lett.
Honors & Awards
National-level High-level Professional in Shenzhen 2016
Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad 2011
Faculty Teaching Fellowship, Columbia University 2005 – 2011
Guo Moruo Scholarship (Best Graduate Award), University of Science and Technology of China 2005