Introduction to the School of Physics and Material Science

The School of Physics and Materials Science of Nanchang University takes Materials Science and Engineering, the world-class construction discipline, as the core, with the support of physics, and integrates Luminescent New Materials, Structural Materials, Energy Materials, Optoelectronic Information Materials, Space Plasma Physics, Terahertz Physics & Devices, Optics, Condensed Matter Physics, Gravitation and Theoretical Astrophysics, Magnetic Confinement Fusion and Plasma Physics, through the cross-integration of physics and materials disciplines, and gradually forms the science and engineering penetration of “physics + materials” , interdisciplinary characteristics, carry out organized scientific research activities.

The direction of luminescent new materials is a leading direction for the National “Double First-Class” Construction of the Materials Science and Engineering at Nanchang University. With independently innovative silicon based gallium nitride semiconductor materials as the engine, we carry out scientific and technological innovation, achievement transformation, and talent cultivation work around the manufacturing of high-end semiconductor lighting equipment, growth of luminescent materials, preparation of lighting and display chips, device packaging and applications, and other fields. We have successively established the Materials Science Research Institute of Nanchang University, the Luminescent Materials and Devices Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, the National Silicon Based LED Engineering Technology Research Center, and the Nanchang Laboratory (the first provincial laboratory in Jiangxi Province), forming a self-formed research platform with advanced hardware facilities. We explored a training model of the integration between industry and education that organically connects basic research to industrialization, emphasizing the cultivation of hands-on ability and problem-solving ability. This postgraduate training model won the second prize of the 2022 National Teaching Achievement Award. We have achieved multiple breakthrough achievements in the field of silicon based gallium nitride materials and devices, among which the blue LED technology has won the first prize of Jiangxi Province Technology Invention in 2012 and the first prize of National Technology Invention in 2015; High efficiency green LED technology won the first prize for technological progress in Jiangxi Province in 2020; Efficient yellow LED technology has won the International Semiconductor Lighting Outstanding Contribution Award and the Global Semiconductor Lighting Annual News Award; The “V-shaped PN junction semiconductor light-emitting device” project won the Special Prize in Natural Science of Jiangxi Province in 2022. The main research achievements have been industrialized, incubating and developing more than ten hard-technology enterprises, launching nearly a hundred high-tech products, and establishing enterprises that have become major taxpayers in Nanchang High tech Zone. We are currently undertaking more than ten national and provincial key research and development projects and topics, promoting the development of phosphor-free LED lighting technology, health lighting technology, micro-display technology, third-generation semiconductor power devices and RF devices, new photodetectors, and other technologies and industries towards high-quality.

Relying on the Jiangxi Province ultra-high temperature metal new material industry science and technology innovation consortium, the direction of structural materials aims to serve the national strategy and local economy, and gradually realize the scientific and technological self-improvement of the structural materials industry in Jiangxi Province. Adhere to the close integration of talent chain, industrial chain and innovation chain, we would form a highland for training and gathering high-level talents, carry out basic and applied research on structural materials, and build an internationally influential and domestic first-class structural materials science and technology innovation base.

The direction of energy materials and applications plans to take advantage of the continuous growth of the global energy storage industry to meet the needs of the energy storage market such as high safety, high energy density, long cycle life, and fast charging, and combine the characteristics of resources such as lithium, copper and rare earth in Jiangxi province to focus on conducting research on fundamental scientific issues and common key technologies involved in the practical application of lithium-ion batteries in the fields of electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and consumer electronics.

Aiming at the frontiers of international science, the direction of optoelectronic information materials conducts intensified researches on the basic physical properties and potential applications of optoelectronic detective materials and devices, information materials and devices, quantum information materials and devices, so as to promote the interdisciplinary of material science and physics, improve the overall academic level and innovative scientific capabilities of the researchers, and finally build an “advanced and sophisticated” scientific research platform.

Space plasma physics plans to make breakthroughs in the research of key mechanisms of space physics and the development of space detection equipment. Based on the interdisciplinary convergence and collaborative innovation of physics, materials, information and communication of Nanchang University, it aims to promote the integration of industry, university and research, and clearly serve the deep integration and application of the national aerospace science and technology major strategy and the new generation of information technology in Jiangxi Province.

The study direction of terahertz physics & devices revolves around the scientific problem of “THz gap” that has long been a concern and urgently needs to be solved in the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as the technical problem of terahertz 6G communication that is closely related to the Internet-of-Things and artificial intelligence. Based on national strategic guidance, relevant research is carried out on core issues such as “terahertz sources, wave modulation, control, transmission and reception devices, terahertz radiation and material interactions and their application technologies”.

The Optics Research Group (ORG) leverage the rapid development trend of optical technology in communication, healthcare and energy, to address the urgent demand for high-density, high-bandwidth, ultra-sensitive, and high-speed integrated optical chips for on-chip optical interconnects. The Optics Research Group focuses on fundamental scientific issues and key technological advancements in utilizing artificial nano structures such as photonic crystals and meta-surfaces to explore the emission and propagation of light at subwavelength scales.

The high-performance, multi-function and low-cost photoelectric sensing and imaging equipment plays the critical role in the intelligent earth, automatic driving, aviation and national defense. For this purpose, the research direction of condensed matter physics aims to explore the physical principles of the generation, relaxation and transport of photo-generated elementary excitation in solid state materials. The new physical mechanism will drive the technology of a wide spectrum, multi-color, high speed, high sensitivity, low-power photoelectric sensing storage and computing. Through the acquisition of multi-dimensional light information such as distance, space, polarization, time and spectrum, this project will develop the integrated and intelligent photoelectric detection system.

The team of gravitation and theoretical astrophysics intends to utilize the increasingly sophisticated global space-based and ground-based astronomical observation networks, along with vast amounts of observational data. It focuses on the cutting-edge scientific frontiers, such as the origin and evolution of the universe, quantum aspects of gravity and gravitational wave physics, formation and evolution of compact stars, and other fundamental scientific questions. The team leverages its advantages in theoretical research and data analysis to conduct theoretical and observational studies around the fundamental scientific problems involved in gravity theory, dark matter and dark energy, gravitational wave physics, and high-energy cosmic phenomena.

Focusing on the national energy development strategy, the magnetic confinement fusion and plasma physics team on the basis of the first domestically designed and manufactured Spherical Tokamak device of Nanchang University aims to explore the method of merging compression for plasma start-up, carrying out theoretical, experimental and relevant applicational researches on the fundamental science and key technology in the field of magnetic confinement fusion energy.