People

Professor Zidan Wang is the current Professor, Chair of Physics at The University of Hong Kong. He earned his BSc and PhD from the University of Science and Technology and Nanjing University in 1982 and 1988, respectively. He worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the Texas Centre for Superconductivity at the University of Houston for about three years before joining HKU Physics Department in 1992 and was promoted as the Chair Professor in 2009. In 2004, Professor Wang was selected as a Changjiang Scholar-Chair Professorship (Overseas Category) by China Education Commission. 

Professor Wang has published over 200 articles in leading physics journals of American Physical Society: Physical Review Letters (PRL) and Physical Review-series, including over 30 PRLs. He has received prestigious awards for his research contributions, including the two China National Natural Science Awards in 2013 and 1995, the First Class of Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Award in 2011, the First Class of Natural Science Award of China Education Commission in 2008, the Croucher Senior Research Fellowship (Croucher Award) in 2007, and the HKU Outstanding Researcher Award in 2001.

In addition to his research, Professor Wang has also held various admin/academic positions to serve the University and physics community, including Council Chairman and President of the Hong Kong Physical Society, Head of Physics Department and Director of the Centre for Theoretical and Computational Physics at the University of Hong Kong, Head & Co-Chair of Executive Committee of HK Institute of Quantum Science & Technology, Head/Convenor of AMO Research Division/Direction at the GD-HK-Macau GBA Quantum Science Centre, Member of the Panel of Physical Sciences at the Hong Kong Research Grant Council, and the Selection Panel of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship and RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship of Hong Kong SAR. 

Primary research interests of Professor Wang lie essentially in theoretical quantum physics, with a series of notable research achievements being accomplished by him in the fields related to quantum computing, quantum phases, topological metals and insulators, quantum simulations with cold-atom systems, many-body entanglement, and superconductor physics etc.. His representative research initiatives include mainly the development of (1) the theory of novel topological quantum matter, (2) quantum computing and quantum information theory, (3) the study of new superconductors, and (4) the theory of many-body entanglement and quantum phase transitions, as seen from his 10 selected-publications listed below.

1. “Making Topologically Trivial Non-Hermitian Systems Nontrivial via Gauge Fields”, W.B.  Rui, Y. X. Zhao, Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett., 131, 176402 (2023)
2. “Non-Hermitian spatial symmetries and their stabilized normal and exceptional topological semimetals”, W. B. Rui, Z. Zheng, C. Wang, and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 226401 (2022)
3. “Continuous-variable assisted thermal quantum simulation”, D.-B Zhang, G.-Q. Zhang, Z.-Y. Xue, S.-L. Zhu, and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 020502 (2021)
4. “Unified theory of PT and CP invariant topological metals and nodal superconductors”, Y. X. Zhao, A. P. Schynder, and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 156402(2016)
5. “General Monogamy Relation for the Entanglement of Formation in Multiqubit Systems”, Y. K. Bai, Y. F. Xu, and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 100503 (2014)
6. “Topological classification and stability of Fermi surfaces”, Y. X. Zhao and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 240404 (2013)
7. “Spin fluctuations, interband coupling, and unconventional pairing in iron-based superconductors”, Z. J. Yao, J. X. Li, and Z. D. Wang, New J. Phys. 11, 025009 (2009)
8. “Unconventional geometric quantum computation”, S.-L. Zhu and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 187902(2003).
9. “Implementation of universal quantum gates based on nonadiabatic geometric phases”, S.-L Zhu and Z. D. Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 097902 (2002)
10. “Unified Theory of Mixed State Hall Effect in Type-II superconductors: Scaling Behaviour and Sign Reversal”, Z. D. Wang, J. M. Dong, and C. S. Ting, Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 3875 (1994)

1. Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) - Group Research Project 2021 (Co-PI): New phases of quantum matter in engineered atomic systems (HKU Project Code: C6009-20G)
2. NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme 2022 (PI): Exploring novel crystalline topological quantum matter with gauge fields (HKU Project Code: N_HKU774/21)
3. General Research Fund (GRF) 2022/23 (PI): Exploring topology of non-Hermitian quantum systems with spatial Symmetries (HKU Project Code: 17310622)
4. General Research Fund (GRF) 2023/24 (PI): Theoretical studies on how gauge fields enrich non-Hermitian topological properties (HKU Project Code: 17303023)