People

Professor Wang Yao is a condensed matter physicist. He obtained his BSc from Peking University in 2001, and PhD in physics from University of California, San Diego in 2006. He joined the University of Hong Kong in 2008, and rose through the academic ranks to Chair Professor of Physics in 2019. He is also a New Cornerstone Investigator. He has received honours including the OCPA Achievement in Asia Award, Nishina Asia Award, XPlorer Prize, Huang Kun Prize, Croucher Innovation Award, Croucher Senior Research Fellowship, RGC Senior Research Fellowship, and has been named by Clarivate Analytics in the list of "Highly Cited Researchers" in consecutive years from 2018 to 2023. He is also elected Fellow of American Physical Society and Fellow of Optica.

Professor Yao leads a theoretical group working in an interdisciplinary area across condensed matter physics, quantum physics, and optical physics, with current research interest in spin and pseudospin phenomena in 2D quantum materials and their layered structures.

1. “Remote gate control of topological transitions in moiré superlattices via cavity vacuum fields”, Zuzhang Lin, Chengxin Xiao, Danh-Phuong Nguyen, Geva Arwas, Cristiano Ciuti, and Wang Yao, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 120, 32, e2306584120 (2023) 
2. “Time-reversal even charge hall effect from twisted interface coupling”, Dawei Zhai, Cong Chen, Cong Xiao and Wang Yao, Nature Communications 14, 1961 (2023)
3. “Luminescence Anomaly of Dipolar Valley Excitons in Homobilayer Semiconductor Moiré Superlattices”, H. Yu and W. Yao, Phys. Rev. X 11, 021042 (2021)
4. “Giant magnetic field from moire induced Berry phase in homobilayer semiconductors”, H. Yu, M. Chen, W. Yao, Natl. Sci. Rev. 7, 12 (2020)
5. “Gate tuning from exciton superfluid to quantum anomalous Hall in vdW heterobilayer”, Q. Zhu, W.-Y. Tu, Q. Tong, W. Yao, Science Advances 5, eaau6120 (2019)
6. “Topological mosaic in Moire superlattices of van der Waals heterobilayers”, Q. Tong, H. Yu, Q. Zhu, Y. Wang, X. Xu, and W. Yao, Nature Physics 13, 356 (2017)
7. “Moire excitons: from programmable quantum emitter arrays to spin-orbit coupled artificial lattices”, H. Yu, G. Liu, J. Tang, X. Xu, and W. Yao, Science Advances 3, e1701696 (2017)
8. “Anomalous light cones and valleyoptical selection rules of interlayer excitons in twisted heterobilayers”, H. Yu, Y. Wang, Q. Tong, X. Xu, and W. Yao, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 187002 (2015)
9. “Magnetoelectric effects and valley controlled spin quantum gates in transition metal dichalcogenide bilayers”, Gong, G. Liu, H. Yu, D. Xiao, X. Cui, X. Xu and W. Yao, Nature Communications 4, 2053 (2013)                              
10. “Coupled spin and valley physics in monolayers of MoS2 and other group Vi dichalcogenides”, D. Xiao, G. Liu, W. Feng, X. Xu & W. Yao, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 196802 (2012)

1. Areas of Excellence Scheme (2021-2029) (PI): 2D Materials Research: Fundamentals Towards Emerging Technologies (HKU Project Code: AoE/P-701/20)
2. RGC Senior Research Fellowship (2022 – 2026)
3. ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme (2022 – 2026)
4. New Cornerstone Investigator Project (2024 – 2029)