SINCE 24/04/2008
　

DR. QUN ZHANG'S ACADEMIC WEBPAGE

ACADEMIC BIOSKETCH
Qun Zhang earned a PhD in chemical physics from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1999. After a seven-year stint as a postdoctoral fellow & research associate with the late professor Moshe Shapiro (1944–2013) at the Weizmann Institute of Science (2000–2003) and the University of British Columbia (2003–2007), he joined USTC working initially on gas-phase molecular spectroscopy & reaction dynamics [with 30 papers (as a PI) published in peer-reviewed journals]. Since 2011, he has been devoted to establishing a USTC Ultrafast Laser Laboratory (UULL) from scratch and then focusing his research on condensed-phase ultrafast spectroscopy & dynamics. In this topical field, he has authored 90 papers (as a PI) in peer-reviewed journals [including 51 in the Nature-Index Journals such as JACS/ACIE/AM (28), PRL/APL/NL/JPCL (17), and NComm/SA (2)]. As of November 2024, the total citation of his journal publications is 13000+ (H-Index: 48, according to the Clarivate™ Web of Science). Currently, he holds a position of chair professor at USTC and he is also an adjunct PI in Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale (HFNRC) & Hefei National Laboratory (HFNL).

RESEARCH INTERESTS
[light–matter interactions]  [ultrafast spectroscopy]  [excited-state dynamics]  [photophysics & photochemistry]  [energy-related chemical physics]  [quantum coherent control]
Current Focus: Ultilizing and developing the state-of-the-art multi-domain ultrafast spectroscopic techniques to interrogate and decipher the microscopic mechanisms underlying the photoinduced physical & chemical processes/behaviors/effects in a variety of complex molecular & nanomaterial systems in the condensed phases

RESEARCH FUNDING
As a PI:
  2022.01–2025.12  NSFC – General Program (Grant No. 22173090)
  2016.07–2021.06  MOST – National Key R&D Program for Nano S&T, Project #2 (Grant No. 2016YFA0200602)
  2016.01–2019.12  NSFC – General Program (Grant No. 21573211)
  2012.01–2015.12  NSFC – General Program (Grant No. 21173205)
  2009.01–2011.12  NSFC – General Program (Grant No. 20873133)
As a Participant:
  2021.11–2026.10  MOST & HFNL – Innovation Program for Quantum S&T, Project #3 (Grant No. 2021ZD0303303)
  2018.05–2023.04  MOST – National Key R&D Program for Nano S&T, Project #2 (Grant No. 2018YFA0208702)
  2018.01–2022.12  Anhui Initiative in QIT, Project #2 (Grant No. AHY090200)
  2017.01–2021.12  NSFC – Key Program (Grant No. 21633007)
  2015.01–2018.12  MOE – Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. WK2340000063)
  2012.09–2017.08  CAS – Strategic Priority Research Program B, Program #2, Project #2 (Grant No. XDB01020200)
  2012.06–2017.09  MOST – National Key R&D Program for Sci. Instrum., Task #4 (Grant No. 2012YQ120047-04)
  2012.01–2015.12  NSFC – Key Program (Grant No. 91127042)
  2010.01–2014.08  MOST – National 973 Program, Project #2 (Grant No. 2010CB923302)
　

SELECTED PI PUBLICATIONS in Nature-Index Journals (Click here to view a full list of publications)
[51] Adv. Mater. 2024.36.2408778 "Hole Polaron-Mediated Suppression of Electron–Hole Recombination Triggers Efficient Photocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation"
  [50] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2024.15.226 "Mechanistic Insights into the Photoluminescence Enhancement in Surface Ligand Modified CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals"
  [49] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023.62.e202308140 "Promoting Photocatalytic H2 Evolution through Retarded Charge Trapping and Recombination by Continuously Distributed Defects in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite"
  [48] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2023.14.4142 "Tracking the Explosive Boiling Dynamics at the Alcohol/MXene Interface"
  [47] Nano Lett. 2023.23.3385 "Pseudohalogen Resurfaced CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals for Bright, Efficient, and Stable Green-Light-Emitting Diodes"
  [46] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2023.14.1504 "Efficient Exciton Dissociation through Edge Interfacial State in Metal Halide Perovskite-Based Photocatalysts"
  [45] Chem. Commun. 2023.59.1229 "High-Temperature Negative Thermal Quenching Phosphors from Molecular-Based Materials"
  [44] Inorg. Chem. 2022.61.18779 "A Copper Iodide Cluster-Based Coordination Polymer as an Unconventional Zero-Thermal-Quenching Phosphor"
  [43] Sci. Adv. 2022.8.eabq2321 "Planar Defect-Free Pure Red Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes via Metastable Phase Crystallization"
[42] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2022.13.10388 "Unveiling a Counterintuitive Intermode Interplay in a Prototype Plasmonic Nanosystem"
  [41] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2022.13.8397 "Unpaired Electron Engineering Enables Efficient and Selective Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CH4"
  [40] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2022.13.8091 "Intermediate Complex-Mediated Interfacial Electron Transfer in a Radical Dianion/TiO2 Dye-Sensitized Photocatalytic System"
  [39] Appl. Phys. Lett. 2022.121.034101 "Spatial Mapping of a Low-Frequency Raman Combination Mode in Twisted Bilayer Graphene"
  [38] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2022.13.5480 "Phononic Fine-Tuning in a Prototype Two-Dimensional Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskite System"
  [37] Adv. Mater. 2022.34.2200563 "Designing a Redox Heterojunction for Photocatalytic “Overall Nitrogen Fixation” under Mild Conditions"
  [36] Adv. Mater. 2022.34.2200612 "A Unique Fe–N4 Coordination System Enabling Transformation of Oxygen into Superoxide for Photocatalytic C–H Activation with High Efficiency and Selectivity"
  [35] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2022.13.2943 "Unraveling the Effect of Surface Ligands on the Auger Process in an Inorganic Perovskite Quantum-Dot System"
  [34] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2021.12.11295 "Ce-Doped W18O49 Nanowires for Tuning N2 Activation toward Direct Nitrate Photosynthesis"
  [33] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021.60.6160 "Site Sensitivity of Interfacial Charge Transfer and Photocatalytic Efficiency in Photocatalysis: Methanol Oxidation on Anatase TiO2 Nanocrystals"
  [32] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2020.11.9579 "Photoexcited Electron Dynamics of Nitrogen Fixation Catalyzed by Ruthenium Single-Atom Catalysts"
  [31] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2020.11.9371 "Suppressing Auger Recombination in Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystal Film for Bright Light-Emitting Diodes"
  [30] Chem. Commun. 2020.56.12057 "Negative Thermal Quenching of Photoluminescence in a Copper–Organic Framework Emitter"
  [29] Adv. Mater. 2020.32.2004059 "Hydrogen-Doping-Induced Metal-Like Ultrahigh Free-Carrier Concentration in Metal-Oxide Material for Giant and Tunable Plasmon Resonance"
  [28] Adv. Mater. 2020.32.2003082 "A Promoted Charge Separation/Transfer System from Cu Single Atoms and C3N4 Layers for Efficient Photocatalysis"
  [27] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020.59.11093 "Ketones as Molecular Co-Catalysts for Boosting Exciton-Based Photocatalytic Molecular Oxygen Activation"
  [26] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019.58.12175 "Switching on the Photocatalysis of Metal–Organic Frameworks by Engineering Structural Defects"
  [25] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019.141.10924 "Metal–Organic Framework Coating Enhances the Performance of Cu2O in Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction"
  [24] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2019.10.2904 "Efficient Exciton Dissociation in Heterojunction Interfaces Realizing Enhanced Photoresponsive Performance"
  [23] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019.141.2069 "Few-Nanometer-Sized α-CsPbI3 Quantum Dots Enabled by Strontium Substitution and Iodide Passivation for Efficient Red-Light Emitting Diodes"
  [22] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018.57.5320 "Experimental Identification of Ultrafast Reverse Hole Transfer at the Interface of the Photoexcited Methanol/Graphitic Carbon Nitride System"
  [21] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018.140.3626 "Ce^{3+}-Doping to Modulate Photoluminescence Kinetics for Efficient CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals Based Light-Emitting Diodes"
  [20] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018.140.3474 "Optically Switchable Photocatalysis in Ultrathin Black Phosphorus Nanosheets"
  [19] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018.140.1760 "Oxygen-Vacancy-Mediated Exciton Dissociation in BiOBr for Boosting Charge-Carrier-Involved Molecular Oxygen Activation"
  [18] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2017.8.5680 "Impact of Element Doping on Photoexcited Electron Dynamics in CdS Nanocrystals"
  [17] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017.139.7586 "Defect-Mediated Electron–Hole Separation in One-Unit-Cell ZnIn2S4 Layers for Boosted Solar-Driven CO2 Reduction"
  [16] Chem. Sci. 2017.8.4087 "Insights into the Excitonic Processes in Polymeric Photocatalysts"
  [15] J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2016.7.3908 "Retrieving the Rate of Reverse Intersystem Crossing from Ultrafast Spectroscopy"
  [14] Adv. Mater. 2016.28.6940 "Enhanced Singlet Oxygen Generation in Oxidized Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Organic Synthesis"
  [13] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016.55.9389 "Boosting Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production of a Metal–Organic Framework Decorated with Platinum Nanoparticles: The Platinum Location Matters"
  [12] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016.138.6822 "Unraveling Surface Plasmon Decay in Core–Shell Nanostructures toward Broadband Light-Driven Catalytic Organic Synthesis"
  [11] Adv. Mater. 2016.28.2427 "Single-Atom Pt as Co-Catalyst for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution"
  [10] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015.137.13440 "Visible-Light Photoreduction of CO2 in a Metal–Organic Framework: Boosting Electron–Hole Separation via Electron Trap States"
  [9] Nat. Commun. 2015.6.8647 "Molecular Co-Catalyst Accelerating Hole Transfer for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution"
  [8] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015.54.9266 "Atomic-Layer-Confined Doping for Atomic-Level Insights into Visible-Light Water Splitting"
  [7] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015.137.8769 "Visible-Light Photoexcited Electron Dynamics of Scandium Endohedral Metallofullerenes: The Cage Symmetry and Substituent Effects"
  [6] Adv. Mater. 2014.26.5689 "A Unique Semiconductor–Metal–Graphene Stack Design to Harness Charge Flow for Photocatalysis"
  [5] Adv. Mater. 2014.26.4783 "Integration of an Inorganic Semiconductor with a Metal–Organic Framework: A Platform for Enhanced Gaseous Photocatalytic Reactions"
  [4] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014.53.5107 "Designing p-Type Semiconductor–Metal Hybrid Structures for Improved Photocatalysis"
  [3] Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014.53.3205 "Tunable Oxygen Activation for Catalytic Organic Oxidation: Schottky Junction versus Plasmonic Effects"
  [2] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013.135.12468 "The Realistic Domain Structure of As-Synthesized Graphene Oxide from Ultrafast Spectroscopy"
  [1] Phys. Rev. Lett. 2012.109.253901 "Coherent Random Fiber Laser Based on Nanoparticles Scattering in the Extremely Weakly Scattering Regime"

　

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

• Chemical Dynamics I (Module #1 of the modulized course "Chemical Dynamics"; CHEM5003P for postgrads; Spring semester)
  Questions about the rates of processes and about how reactions take place are the purview of chemical kinetics and molecular reaction dynamics. Because this subfield of physical chemistry is the one most concerned with the "how, why, and when" of chemical reaction, it is a central intellectual cornerstone to the discipline of chemistry. And yet it is of enormous practical importance as well. In this 2-credit course, we begin with examining the motions of gas-phase molecules in Chapter 1 ("Kinetic Theory of Gases"), and then examine in Chapter 2 "The Rates of Chemical Reactions". In Chapter 3 ("Theories of Chemical Reactions") we look at reaction rates from a more microscopic point of view, drawing on quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics to help with understanding the magnitude of chemical rates and how they vary with both macroscopic and microscopic parameters. This course is suitable for the third-year undergraduate level or above, as well as for the first-year grads. Throughout this course we would like to place emphasis on fundamental concepts rather than just deliver as much material as possible; nevertheless, rigorous mathematical treatment cannot be and should not be avoided if we are to give precision to the basic principles.

• Chemical Dynamics IV (Module #4 of the modulized course "Chemical Dynamics"; CHEM6011P for postgrads; Spring semester)
  The integration of ultrafast spectroscopy with chemistry and materials science has greatly propelled their development, as the key information gleaned from the mechanistic studies with the assistance of ultrafast spectroscopy enables a deeper understanding of the structure–function interplay and various interactions involved in the complex, condensed-phase, chemical and material systems. Armed with these critical, mechanistic insights, one can step further to steer the chemical systems to desired directions (e.g., by means of coherent control) or to optimize the design of material systems for achieving better performances. In this 2-credit course, we begin with briefing the history of time-resolved spectroscopy in Chapter 1, and then introduce in Chapter 2 the basics and principles of femtosecond laser techniques. In Chapter 3 we deliver the key concepts of ultrafast transient spectroscopy, addressing several important time-domain features encoded in the spectra as well as some photophysical/photochemical processes. A variety of techniques and methods used in ultrafast transient spectroscopy are described in Chapter 4. Armed with the fundamental materials of the first four chapters, we move forward to the exciting area of ultrafast spectroscopy and dynamics in condensed phases, with a focus on exploring the underlying mechanisms in the complex, chemical and material systems (Chapter 5). This course is suitable for the third-year undergraduate level or above, as well as for the first-year grads. Throughout this course emphasis is placed on fundamental concepts/principles as well as realistic practices at the forefront of the research field.

• Fundamentals of Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Dynamics (CHEM3003 for undergrads; Spring semester)

• Advances in Chemical Physics (Lecture for undergrads and/or postgrads; Spring semester)

　

GROUP MEMBERS

Research Faculty:
  2022  JIANG Shenlong (江申龙)
Postdoctoral Fellows:
  2023  CHEN Renli (陈仁立)
PhD & MSc Candidates:
  2019  ZHOU Yujie (周玉杰)
  2020  WU Qinglong (吴庆龙)
  2021  CHEN Ziang (陈子昂)
  2022  DENG Hongjian (邓宏健)   SHUI Quan (水泉)
  2023  LIU Yichen (刘伊晨)
  2024  WANG Hao (王浩)
Alumni:
  2011  GUO Xixuan (郭习轩) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
            LU Lu (卢路) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
  2012  ZHENG Hongjun (郑红军) completed his MSc work (moved to USA)
            CAO Wenjin (曹文锦) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
            WANG Gengqi (王庚祺) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
            WANG Liang (王亮) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
  2013  FAN Kaili (樊凯利) completed her MSc work (moved to Soochow)
            GUO Zhenkun (郭镇坤) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
  2014  CHEN Lu (陈鹿) completed his BSc work (stayed at USTC)
  2015  GE Jing (葛晶) completed her PhD work (stayed at USTC)
            CHEN Renli (陈仁立) completed his BSc work (moved to Xichang)
  2016  HU Jiahua (胡嘉华) completed her PhD work (moved to Wuhan)
            CHEN Jie (陈杰) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
            ZHOU Ninghao (周凝昊) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
            JIANG Shenlong (江申龙) completed his PhD work (stayed at USTC)
  2017  CHEN Lu (陈鹿) completed his MSc work (moved to Beijing)
            CHEN Zongwei (陈宗威) completed his PhD work (moved to Dalian)
  2018  LIU Tinglin (刘天霖) completed her BSc work (moved to USA)
            SHANG Qichao (尚启超) completed his PhD work (moved to Nanjing)           
            ZHANG Lei (张雷) completed his PhD work (stayed at USTC)
            GE Jing (葛晶) completed her Postdoc work (moved to Singapore)
  2019  JIANG Shenlong (江申龙) completed his Postdoc work (stayed at USTC)
            WEI Kang (韦康) completed his MSc work (moved to Wuxi)
            CHENG Zhiqiang (程志强) completed his BSc work (stayed at USTC)           
            LIANG Sa (梁飒) completed her BSc work (moved to Beijing)
  2020  WANG Li (王俐) completed her PhD work (moved to Jinan)
            LI Xiaoxia (李小霞) completed her MSc work (moved to Foshan)
            LIU Jia (刘佳) completed her MSc work (stayed in Hefei)
  2021  ZHANG Lei (张雷) completed his Postdoc work (moved to Zhengzhou)
            NIU Xiaoyou (牛孝友) completed his PhD work (moved to Hong Kong)
            ZHANG Jiachen (张佳晨) completed her PhD work (stayed at USTC)
  2022  CHENG Zhiqiang (程志强) completed his MSc work (moved to Hangzhou)
            LIU Yichen (刘伊晨) completed her BSc work (stayed at USTC)   
  2023  CHEN Renli (陈仁立) completed his PhD work (stayed at USTC)
            PAN Xiancheng (潘先成) completed his PhD work (stayed in Hefei) 
            RUAN Zhoushilin (阮周石林) completed his PhD work (moved to Mianyang)
            FENG Shuyue (冯姝玥) completed her BSc work (moved to USA)
            SHUI Yunfeng (税云峰) completed his BSc work (moved to USA)
  2024  LI Hui (李慧) completed her PhD work (stayed in Hefei) 
            WANG Hao (王浩) completed his BSc work (stayed at USTC)
            ZHAO Jiawei (赵嘉炜) completed his BSc work (stayed at USTC)
            YE Chunyin (叶春寅) completed his PhD work (stayed in Hefei)
            ZHANG Jiachen (张佳晨) completed her Postdoc work (moved to Zhengzhou) 

　

　

Undergrads/Grads/Postdocs: If you are self-motivated and enthusiastic about what we are doing/enjoying, we cordially welcome you to join our Ultrafast Lab!

本科生/研究生/博士后: 如果您对探索化学物理交叉领域诸多未知现象/效应/规律/本质充满好奇和激情，我们诚挚欢迎您加盟我们的超快光谱与动力学实验研究课题组！

Contact E-mail: qunzh@(ustc staff email)