Xu Jianbin

Xu Jianbin^[a] (simplified Chinese: 许建斌; traditional Chinese: 許建斌; pinyin: xǔ jiàn bīn) is the Choh-Ming Li Professor of Electronic Engineering and Director of the Material Science and Technology Research Center at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).^[3][4] He is also Academic Vice President of the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, one of the major research institutes under Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Xu graduated from Nanjing University in 1983 and attained a research master's degree under the supervision of Zhang Shuyi (Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)^[5][6] from Nanjing University in 1986. From 1988 to 1993, he studied at the University of Konstanz in Germany for Doctor of Natural Science (Dr. rer. nat.). His supervisor, Klaus Dransfeld, was a member of the German National Academy of Sciences. During his PhD study, he focused on nanoscience and nanotechnology, especially scanning probe microscopy and near-field microscopy as well as their applications in energy transport and processes associated with electrons. Since graduation, he has been affiliated with the Department of Electronic Engineering of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Science and Technology) in the category of Natural Sciences (2nd Class), by Ministry of Education (MOE), China. 中华人民共和国教育部2014年度高等学校科学研究优秀成果奖(科学技术)二等奖
Joint Research Fund for Overseas and Hong Kong-Macao Scholars (formerly Outstanding Youth Fund for Overseas Chinese), National Science Foundation of China (NSFC). 海外及港澳学者合作研究基金 (原海外杰出青年基金)
Chang Jiang Scholar and Chair Professor, Ministry of Education (MOE), China. 中华人民共和国教育部长江学者讲座教授^[7]
Vice-Chancellor's Outstanding Fellow of Engineering, CUHK. 香港中文大学工程学院杰出学者校长奖^[8]
Research Excellence Awards, CUHK. 香港中文大学卓越研究奖 ^[9]
Fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ^[10]
Fellow of Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE)^[11]
Foreign Fellow of European Academy of Sciences (EurASc)^[12]
Optica Fellow^[13]
Highly Cited Researcher multiple times by Clarivate Analytics^[14]

Council Member of the China Vacuum Society;^[15]
Deputy Chairman of Hong Kong Materials Research Society ( 2019–present);
Editor of IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices;^[16]
Editorial Board of Journal of Electron Microscopy (2010-2013);
Associate Editor of Science Bulletin (2018-2022);
Member of Editorial Board of ACS Nano, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices and npj 2D Materials and Applications;
Referee of more than 30 scientific and technical journals, including Nature offspring journals, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Advanced Materials, IEEE Journals, ACS Nano, etc.

Prof. Jianbin Xu's research focuses on nanoscience & nanotechnology, electronics & optoelectronics, energy & thermal science, and emerging interdisciplinary. Below are his major research contributions and achievements:

1. Pioneering Work in Graphene and 2D Materials
Professor Xu is widely recognized for his extensive work on graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs).
Interfacial Engineering: One of his most significant contributions is understanding the interface between 2D materials and metal contacts or dielectric substrates. He developed techniques to reduce contact resistance and improve carrier mobility, which are critical hurdles for 2D electronics.
High-Performance Devices: His group has successfully fabricated high-performance graphene-based photodetectors and transistors, exploring their potential in high-speed communications and sensing.
Synthesis and Transfer: He has contributed to the Large-area Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) growth of graphene and developed cleaner transfer methods to maintain the material's intrinsic properties.

2. Organic Electronics and Thin-Film Transistors (OTFTs)
Before the graphene boom, Prof. Xu made substantial contributions to the field of organic semiconductors.
Charge Transport Mechanisms: He conducted fundamental studies on how charge carriers move through organic thin films. His work focused on the relationship between molecular packing (morphology) and electrical performance.
Device Optimization: He developed methods to enhance the performance of Organic Thin-Film Transistors (OTFTs) by modifying the dielectric-semiconductor interface, leading to higher mobility and better stability.

3. Advanced Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)
Prof. Xu is an expert in the development and application of Scanning Probe Microscopy to characterize materials at the nanoscale.
Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM): He was a pioneer in using SPM to investigate the near-field radiative heat transfer on a sub-micron scale. This is crucial for "thermal management" in modern microchips, where heat dissipation is a major bottleneck.
Nanoscale Characterization: He utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to visualize and manipulate atoms and molecules, providing insights into the growth processes of thin films.

4. Perovskite Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting
In recent years, his research has expanded into high-efficiency energy conversion devices.
Interface Passivation: He has applied his expertise in interfacial engineering to perovskite solar cells, developing ways to "passivate" defects at the grain boundaries of the material. This significantly increases the power conversion efficiency and long-term stability of the cells.
Hybrid Systems: He explores the integration of 2D materials with perovskites to create high-performance optoelectronic devices.

5. Advanced Thermally Conductivity Materials
Prof. Xu has made seminal contributions to the development of advanced thermally conductive materials for electronic packaging and thermal management applications.
Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs): He has led systematic research on high-performance thermal interface materials, addressing critical challenges such as low interfacial thermal resistance, electrical insulation, and mechanical reliability. His work has enabled efficient heat dissipation in high-power-density electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Interface Engineering for Heat Transport: By combining materials design with nanoscale interfacial engineering, he elucidated the fundamental mechanisms governing thermal transport across heterogeneous interfaces, providing design principles for next-generation thermal management materials.

6. AI for Science
Prof. Xu has been actively advancing the integration of artificial intelligence with materials science and electronic engineering, contributing to the emerging paradigm of AI for Science.
AI-Driven Materials Discovery and Optimization: He has applied machine learning and data-driven approaches to accelerate the design, optimization, and performance prediction of functional materials, including thermally conductive materials, electronic materials, and energy-related systems. These efforts significantly reduce experimental trial-and-error and enable efficient exploration of complex, high-dimensional materials spaces.
Machine-Learning Potentials (MLPs): Prof. Xu's team developed a series of MLPs for Molecular Dynamics (MD), like NEP-SiNWs, NEP_MB_pol, NEP89 and NEP_FET. When integrated with GPUMD, these potentials enable FET-scale simulations with up to 200 million atoms.

Xu has held more than 50 research projects (GRF, CRF, Hong Kong Research Grants Council, National Natural Science Foundation, etc.) as PI. He secured Joint Research Fund for Overseas and Hong Kong and Macao Scholars in 2009 and 2011 (formerly Outstanding Youth Fund for Overseas Chinese) under NSFC, along with Joint Research Fund Scheme under the auspices of NSFC and Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2007 and 2012, Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) under the auspices of RGC in 2008, etc. At the same time, as one of the main participants, Xu has planned and implemented the project entitled "Smart Solar Energy Harvesting, Storage and Utilization" funded by RGC Theme Research Fund (TRS) in 2013 (the base amount being more than 60 million HK$), and the "Innovative Research Team of Advanced Electronic Packaging Materials" under the auspices of Guangdong Province (tenable to Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with a base amount of more than 50 million RMB) in 2012. In the past five years or so, he has been largely engaged in carbon-based optoelectronic thin film materials and devices, organic optoelectronic materials and devices, oxide-based materials and devices, plasmonic nanophotonics, low-dimensional semiconductor materials and devices, high thermal conductivity materials, perovskite optoelectronic materials and devices. So far he has more than 600 papers published in SCI journals, and received more than 35,000 citations by peers. Besides, he has delivered more than 300 presentations at international conferences and colloquia. Xu has actively participated in and organized various academic activities. He has also assisted in organizing various international conferences and technical seminars, including the 6th International Conference in Asia (ICA) under the auspices of the International Union of Materials Research Societies Union (IUMRS) in 2000, the 8th International Conference of Electronic Materials (ICEM) under the auspices of the International Union of Materials Research Societies in 2002, and the IEEE Conference on Electronic Devices in Hong Kong in 2003, International Conference on Solid State Electronic Circuits in 2005 and 2008, International Symposium on Frontiers of Nanophotonics in 2005, China International Conference on Nanoscience and Technology in 2009, Materials Research Society Spring Meeting in 2011, Croucher Advanced Study Institute on Printed Electronics in 2013, International Graphene Innovation Conference in 2014,^[17] IEDM/IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting in 2014 and 2015, Gordon Research Conference in 2018, etc.^[18][19]

To date, Prof. Xu has more than 600 papers published in SCI journals (e.g., Science, Nature Photonics, Physical Review Letters, Advanced Materials, Journal of the American Chemical Society, etc.), and received more than 36,000 citations by peers with an h-index of 102 (Google Scholar). A prolific communicator, he has delivered over 280 invited presentations at international symposia.

1. L. Tong, Z. Peng, R. Lin, Zheng Li, Y. Wang, X. Huang, K. H. Xue, H. Xu, F. Liu, H. Xia, P. Wang, M. Xu, W. Xiong, W. Hu, J. B. Xu, X. Zhang, L. Ye, X. Miao, “2D materials–based homogeneous transistor-memory architecture for neuromorphic hardware”, Science 373 (6561), 1353-1358 (2021). i) > 330 citations; ii) Highly Cited Paper by Web of Science. iii) Selected as Hot Paper by Web of Science, c.a. 15,000 times downloaded since September 17, 2021; iv) Also selected as one of TOP 10 Major Achievements in Semiconductor Research in 2021 by Journal of Semiconductors.
2. X. M. Wang, Z. Z. Cheng, K. Xu, H. K. Tsang, and J. B. Xu, “High-responsivity graphene/silicon-heterostructure waveguide photodetectors”, Nature Photonics 7 (11), 888-891 (2013). i) > 950 citations; ii) Highly Cited Paper by Web of Science; ii) Technically commented by M. Liu and X. Zhang, leading experts in graphene photonics, in Nature Photonics 7, 850-851 (2013); iii) Highlighted by Nature 501, 284, (2013).
3. K. Y. Yan, M. Z. Long, T. K. Zhang, Z. H. Wei, H. N. Chen, S. H. Yang, J. B. Xu, “Hybrid halide perovskite solar cell precursors: Colloidal chemistry and coordination engineering behind device processing for high efficiency”, Journal of the American Chemical Society 137 (13), 4460–4468 (2015). i) > 780 citations; ii) Highly Cited Paper by Web of Science.
4. L. Ye, H. Li, Z. Chen, J. B. Xu, “Near-Infrared Photodetector Based on MoS₂/black phosphorus heterojunction”, ACS Photonics 3 (4), 692–699 (2016). i) > 620 citations; ii) Highly Cited Paper by Web of Science.
5. Z. F. Chen, Z. Wang, X. M. Li, Y. X. Lin, N. Q. Luo, M. Z. Long, N. Zhao, J. B. Xu, “Flexible piezoelectric-induced pressure sensors for static measurements based on nanowires/graphene heterostructures”, ACS Nano 11 (5), 4507–4513 (2017). i) > 620 citations; ii) Highly Cited Paper by Web of Science.
6. X. L. Zeng, J. Sun, Y. M. Yao, R. Sun, J. B. Xu, C. P. Wong, “A combination of boron nitride nanotubes and cellulose nanofibers for the preparation of a nanocomposite with high thermal conductivity”, ACS Nano 11 (5), 5167–5178 (2017). i) > 560 citations; ii) Highly Cited Paper by Web of Science.
7. Y. H. Zhang, J. S. Qiao, S. Gao, F. R. Hu, D. W. He, B. Wu, Z. Y. Yang, B. C. Xu, Y. Li, Y. Shi, W. Ji, P. Wang, X. Y. Wang, M. Xiao, H. X. Xu, J. B. Xu, X. R. Wang, “Probing carrier transport and structure-property relationship of highly ordered organic semiconductors at the two-dimensional limit”, Physical Review Letters 116, 016602 (2016). > 270 citations.
8. J. B. Xu, K. Läuger, R. Möller, K. Dransfeld, I. H. Wilson, “Heat transfer between two metallic surfaces at small distances”, Journal of Applied Physics 76 (11), 7209-7216 (1994). i) > 210 citations; ii) A landmark work.
9. Z. H. Zhang, X. F. Wang, J. B. Xu, S. Muller, C. Ronning, Q. Li, “Evidence of intrinsic ferromagnetism in individual dilute magnetic semiconducting nanostructures”, Nature Nanotechnology 4, 523-527 (2009). i) > 160 citations; ii) Highlighted by Asia Nano Forum Newsletters and Nature China.
10. Y. Q. Zhou, L. Tong, Z. F. Chen, L. Tao, Y. Pang, J. B. Xu, “Contact-engineered reconfigurable two-dimensional Schottky junction field-effect transistor with low leakage currents”, Nature Communications 14, 4270, (2023). > 60 citations.

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=bdqiHxIAAAAJ&view_op=list_works
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0509-9508