Major Research Areas

Condensed matter experiment
Our group has a broad research interest including syntheses and characterization of nanostructures and nanocomposites; application of nanostructures in electronics and photonics; experiments in spintronics; metallic and semiconductor thin films and heterostructures, growth kinetics, surface structure and properties; growth of perovskite oxides and other functional materials and related heterostructures; laser spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum wells and quantum dots; electrical properties of semiconductors and defects and positron spectroscopy.

Contact person
Dr M.H. Xie
Tel: 2859 7945
Fax: 2559 9152
Email: mhxie@hkusua.hku.hk

Condensed matter theory
Condensed matter theory is a very important research area in physical sciences not only because it addresses many fundamental physics it has wide range of potential applications in many other fields as well. These include material science, biophysical science and even economy and finance. We have a very active research group in the field with many ongoing cutting-edge research projects in different sub-fields of condensed matter physics. Our current research interests include: (1) Strongly correlated electron systems; (2) Vortex in superconductors; (3) Quantum computation and entanglement; (4) Quantum magnetism; (5) Spintronics and (6) Quantum transport through nanostructures.

Contact person
Dr J. Wang
Tel: 2859 7944
Fax: 2559 9152
Email: jianwang@hkusub.hku.hk

Astrophysics and astronomy
The theoretical group focuses on physics of compact objects, high energy astrophysics, and cosmology. Recent topics of interest include studying theory of gamma-ray emission from pulsars, high energy emission from Galactic black holes, and testing cosmological models by GRB data. The observational group focuses on interstellar chemistry, stellar evolution, and cosmic-ray physics, using data from space and ground based telescopes. Recent topics of interest include multi-wavelength studies of X-ray binary systems, planetary nebulae, proto-planetary nebulae, supernovae, supernova remnants, formation of organic compound at late stages of stellar evolution, and generation of spallation neutrons by cosmic-ray muons in an underground laboratory.

Contact person
Professor K.S. Cheng
Tel: 2859 2368
Fax: 2559 9152
Email: hrspksc@hkucc.hku.hk

Quantum information
We focus on the theoretical study of quantum information theory and quantum computation. Our aim is to prove the security of various quantum cryptographic protocols as well as getting a better understanding of how to manipulate quantum information by quantum error-correction codes. In collaboration with researchers in HP Labs, Bristol , our group has recently proven that certain quantum key distribution scheme is unconditionally secure as well as obtained a U.S. patent on certain quantum key distribution protocols.

Contact person
Dr H.F. Chau
Tel: 2859 1925
Fax: 2559 9152
Email: hfchau@hkusua.hku.hk