Source: Department of Personnel, Wuhan University
Born in August 1990, he has successively studied at the University of Science and Technology of China and Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore, and focused on the research of new semiconductor laser related technologies, and has made a number of innovative achievements in cutting-edge fields such as random lasers, chaotic microcavités, and topological photonics. So far, he has published more than 20 SCI papers in internationally renowned journals such as Nature, Science, ACS Photonics, Advanced Optical Materials, Photonics Research, etc., among which the relevant achievements on the development of topological lasers based on terahertz quantum cascaded lasers have been published in Nature in the form of covers. He is Professor Zeng Yongquan of Wuhan University.
In 2021, Zeng Yongquan decided to return to China for development, and many well-known universities extended an olive branch to him. After careful consideration, in May 2021, he decided to join Wuhan University full-time. In view of his outstanding academic performance, Wuhan University gave him corresponding treatment in advance in accordance with the standards of overseas excellent youth, directly hired professors to four-level posts, awarded doctoral supervisor qualifications, ensured 1-2 doctoral student recruitment indicators for 4 consecutive years, and provided him with sufficient scientific research funds. At the end of 2021, Zeng Yongquan was unsurprisingly awarded the long-awaited scientific research grant from young returnees- the National Natural Science Foundation of China Outstanding Youth Fund (overseas).
Create a new scientific revolution in the "ancient realm"
Since its birth in the 1960s, semiconductor lasers have been widely used in all aspects of production and life, creating countless conveniences for daily life, from daily laser pointers to rangefinders used in the engineering field, from high-tech optical communications, laser precision processing to laser weapons and missile guidance in the field of national defense. All are inseparable from the semiconductor lasers that play a key role.
"New day by day, new day by day, and new by day", innovation is the soul of scientific research. In the eyes of Professor Zeng Yongquan, semiconductor laser research is an "ancient field" that exudes a youthful atmosphere, and the pace of development has never stopped. It is discovering new mysteries in the fusion of new physics, new concepts and new technologies, and is constantly nurturing and spawning new revolutionary applications.
Zeng Yongquan's focus on the research of new semiconductor lasers is to combine traditional optical devices with new physical fields, integrate and explore new characteristics of semiconductors, and explore new functions. "New semiconductor lasers include topological lasers, random lasers, microcavitation lasers, etc., and many novel concepts proposed in physics and photonics in recent years can be applied to these device levels, which can produce many interesting and potentially useful properties." Speaking of this, Zeng Yongquan seemed engaged and passionate, and he felt that the sense of accomplishment of "turning wonderful ideas in physics into physical objects" was the source of inspiration for him to continue to explore this field.
During his postdoctoral research work, Zeng Yongquan led the development of new infrared semiconductor laser devices, explored the topological characteristics of photonic crystal structure, designed and manufactured topological lasers based on terahertz quantum cascade lasers, and proved that the laser has strong robustness for structural defects and corners. The laser is also the world's first electric pump topology laser, and it is the work of the project that was published on the cover of Nature.
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Scientific research is a long-term practice from failure to success
Scientific research, especially in the field of engineering and technology, there is no shortcut, and only continuous investment and persistence can achieve victory. Each achievement is not achieved overnight, and there have been many failures and attempts behind it.
"The research project on the new topological laser took two years and a total of 4 rounds of experiments, and encountered countless failures in the process." Zeng Yongquan said that failure is the norm, and success also comes from the failures that are constantly experienced, which is the most important mentality of doing scientific research. The research project went through two rounds of failed experiments and struggled with two months of fruitless third rounds of laser characterization. In the silent night, he finally found a looming peak of fire in the laser test spectrum, and the dawn of dawn finally arrived...
In scientific research, we must not only have the courage to face failure, but also need to try boldly and carefully seek verification. From the design scheme, the nature of the experimental materials, to the preparation process, to the test characterization method, the opening of the whole link requires the repeated trial and optimization of many parameters in each step, and every small decision may bring about the failure of the experiment, which requires researchers to have a bold spirit, rich experience and careful thinking. These realizations in the course of his scientific research work have also made Zeng Yongquan full of respect for the developers who work on more complex technologies, such as CPU chips, large aircraft and manned spacecraft.
He believes that scientific research is a practice of life, and in the exploration and development of the boundaries of human knowledge, there is no definite path and method, which is doomed to be difficult and lonely. Scientific research can exercise people's will, train the ability to learn and do things, and cultivate emotional intelligence. We must face scientific research with a self-improvement mentality, and climb the peak of science in the daily harvest and progress.
Contribute to the national scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement
Talked about the reasons for returning home. In view of the typical first-mover effect in the chip field, the mainland will be in a catch-up stage for a long time in the accumulation of semiconductor laser technology and industrial development. But in some new types of areas, it is possible to overtake in curves. He mentioned that in the current context of urgent demand for high-end chips, the research of new semiconductor lasers has also become the core key to global scientific research and industrial competition. "Science has no borders, scientists have the motherland", Zeng Yongquan accumulated a lot of experience in the research of related fields, coinciding with the major strategic needs of the development of semiconductor lasers in China, he decided to return to China to do what he could for the promotion of technology in related fields.
In recent years, the state has also accumulated strength and resources to support the development of core chips in a targeted manner, creating a good scientific research and social environment, and has a certain foundation in terms of talents and technical reserves. For example, in terms of semiconductor lasers, several links of continental material growth, device processing, module packaging and market applications have begun to gradually form a closed loop, but it will take time to become stronger and bigger.
In semiconductor research, a group of young scholars have gathered in China, who have set their sights on the research of new semiconductor lasers that are cross-combined with new physical fields, develop new devices for new applications, achieve new functions, and actively expand the research scope of semiconductor lasers. Working together with like-minded colleagues to strive to occupy a place in the development of the world's new system lasers is the goal that Professor Zeng Yongquan is committed to pursuing.
Wuhan University is the best choice for "starting again"
Why choose Wuhan University? Zeng Yongquan said: "Wuhan University is based on the strengthening of talents, and in recent years, all aspects have achieved rapid development. Not only does it provide sufficient scientific research funds, good treatment and a relaxed scientific research atmosphere; but also the whole school provides intimate services and support for talents, so that people have the warmth of home. On September 10, 2021, on Teachers' Day, Academician Dou Xiankang, the president, made a special trip to the School of Electronic Information to visit Zeng Yongquan, inquired in detail about his recent scientific research progress, and said that the school will continue to increase the introduction of high-end talents such as professional technology and scientific research support, improve the talent development system, and do a good job in talent service.
After coming to Wuhan University to teach full-time, Zeng Yongquan faced a new environment and new challenges, and began a new starting point, and his identity changed from a scientific researcher to a dual role of scholar and teacher. In the past, as a simple scientific research worker, he only needed to focus on a certain aspect of things and do it to the extreme, without worrying about scientific research funds, talent team construction and work-life balance. The change of identity has put forward higher requirements for Zeng Yongquan, but he is full of confidence that "with the support of the school, these problems will be successfully solved." At present, with the support of schools and colleges, he is leading his team of doctoral students to steadily carry out scientific research work, using his own scientific research experience to lead them into a deeper and broader scientific world, and also growing up with them as friends of similar age.
The persistent and persistent scientific researchers are also the best annotations for this young "post-90s" doctoral supervisor, and continue to walk towards "light" on the broad platform of Wuhan University, explore new technologies, cultivate more outstanding optoelectronic talents for the country, and look forward to Professor Zeng Yongquan and his team to achieve more dazzling achievements in semiconductor research.