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Dr Wang YAO, Associate Professor of Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, received the Organization of Chinese Physicists and Astronomers (OCPA) Achievement in Asia Award (Robert T. Poe Prize), for his important contributions to the physics of spin and valley pseudospin in 2-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides.

Dr Yao Wang, Associate Professor of Department of Physics, the University of Hong Kong, received the International Organization of Chinese Physicists and Astronomers (OCPA) Achievement in Asia Award (Robert T. Poe Prize), for his important contributions to the physics of spin and valley pseudospin in 2-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. The award is presented annually to a physicist/astronomer (or a team of Physicists/Astronomers) of Chinese ethnicity working in Asia who has (have) made outstanding contributions in physics/astronomy. The other co-winner of this prize is Dr Han Yilong, Associate Professor of Department of Physics, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Dr Yao’s main area of research is spin electronics and spin quantum computation, which aims at more energy-efficient electronics and much faster information processing, by exploiting new ways to represent information in physical systems (e.g. by using electron’s internal degree of freedom such as spin), and exploiting new principles to process information (based on quantum physics instead of classical physics). The current focus of his team is to investigate electron’s spin and valley pseudospin in newly emerged atomically thin two-dimensional materials, and explore their quantum mechanical behavior for new concept quantum devices.

The most representative work of Dr Yao in HKU is the prediction of the physics associated with valley pseudospin of electron, previously thought to be unusable as there lacks control over this degree of freedom. His work makes possible in newly emerged two-dimensional materials the electrical and optical controls of valley pseudospin, making it a suitable carrier of information in electronics.  His theory predictions have been observed by many experimental groups, and are making high impact internationally.  The awards won by Dr Yao in 2013 include the “Croucher Innovation Award” (The Croucher Foundation Hong Kong) and “Outstanding Young Researcher Award 2012-2013” (The University of Hong Kong).    

OCPA is a professional nonprofit organization. OCPA members hail from all disciplines of physics/astronomy, and spill over into chemistry, electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics. The membership includes Nobel Laureates, a Field Medalist, members of the National Academies as well as many outstanding leaders of physics/astronomy research today.

For press enquiry, please contact Ms Cindy Chan, Senior Communication Manager of Faculty of Science, at 3917-5286/ 6703-0212 or by email at cindycst@hku.hk