Postdoc - Physics
The University of Pennsylvania - 2014
Fan Zhang
Professor of Physics
Professional Preparation
Ph.D. - Physics
The University of Texas at Austin - 2011
The University of Texas at Austin - 2011
B.S. - Physics
University of Science and Technology of China - 2006
University of Science and Technology of China - 2006
Publications
Layer-selective spin-orbit coupling and strong correlation in bilayer graphene 2025 - Journal Article
Signatures of sliding Wigner crystals in bilayer graphene at zero and finite magnetic fields 2025 - Journal Article
Lithography-Defined Semiconductor Moirés with Anomalous In-Gap Quantum Hall States 2025 - Journal Article
Awards
Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Physical Sciences - The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology [2026]
APS Fellow - The American Physical Society [2025]
Humboldt Research Award - The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany [2024]
CAREER Award - The U.S. National Science Foundation [2020]
Herbert B. Callen Memorial Prize - The University of Pennsylvania [2013]
News Articles
Pioneering Researchers Recognized as Rising Stars in Texas Innovation
Two distinguished faculty members from The University of Texas at Dallas are among five Texas-based researchers chosen to receive the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST).Dr. Bilal Akin, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, is the recipient of the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Engineering. He was chosen for his cutting-edge advancement of sustainable and high-efficiency energy conversion systems for electric vehicles (EVs) and industrial automation.
Dr. Fan Zhang, professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, is the recipient of the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Physical Sciences. He was selected for his transformational research exploring new topological quantum matter.
Theorist Elected Fellow of American Physical Society
Dr. Fan Zhang, professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, has been elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). Fellowship in the APS is recognition by professional peers of members who have made exceptional contributions in physics research, important applications of physics, significant contributions to physics education, or leadership in or service to the society.Zhang was cited for “contributions to the theory of topologically nontrivial electronic and sonic crystals.” His discoveries in topological quantum matter — from new quantum phases and material paradigms to intelligent optical sensing — have reshaped the field and enabled transformative technologies. His work has opened new frontiers and inspired experimental advances in condensed matter and quantum science.
Scientists Tune In to Rhombohedral Graphene’s Potential
University of Texas at Dallas scientists are investigating how structures made from several layers of graphene stack up in terms of their fundamental physics and their potential as reconfigurable semiconductors for advanced electronics.Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a flat honeycomb pattern whereby each hexagon is formed by six carbon atoms at its vertices. Since graphene’s first isolation in 2004 — which later led to a Nobel Prize in physics — scientists and engineers have intensely studied its unique physical properties as well as its potential applications.
Dr. Fan Zhang, professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UT Dallas, is a theorist who for more than a decade has been examining the electronic properties that emerge when layers of graphene are stacked in a chiral manner to form a rhombohedral structure.
Quantum Geometry Found To Be Newest Twist in Superconductivity
Scientists at The University of Texas at Dallas and their collaborators at The Ohio State University have identified a new mechanism that gives rise to superconductivity in a material in which the speed of electrons is nearly zero, potentially opening a pathway to the design of new superconductors.Their findings, published online Feb. 15 in the journal Nature, demonstrate a new way to measure electron speed and mark the first time that quantum geometry has been identified as the predominant contributing mechanism to superconductivity in any material.
The material the researchers studied is twisted bilayer graphene. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged periodically in a honeycomb pattern. In twisted bilayer graphene, two sheets of graphene are stacked on top of one another with a slight angular twist. In principle, at a certain “magic” twist angle, the speed of electrons in the material approaches zero, said Dr. Fan Zhang, associate professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UT Dallas and an author of the study. Zhang, a theorist, and his collaborators previously published a review article about the unique physical properties of such systems.
Physicists Invent Intelligent Quantum Sensor of Light Waves
University of Texas at Dallas physicists and their collaborators at Yale University have demonstrated an atomically thin, intelligent quantum sensor that can simultaneously detect all the fundamental properties of an incoming light wave.The research, published April 13 in the journal Nature, demonstrates a new concept based on quantum geometry that could find use in health care, deep-space exploration and remote-sensing applications.
“We are excited about this work because typically, when you want to characterize a wave of light, you have to use different instruments to gather information, such as the intensity, wavelength and polarization state of the light. Those instruments are bulky and can occupy a significant area on an optical table,” said Dr. Fan Zhang, a corresponding author of the study and associate professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.