Zhifeng Ren (Physics)

Promoted to full professor

Ph.D., Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing

Faculty member since 1999

Specialization: The synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of nanoscale materials

Representative publication: “Rapid photon flux switching in two-dimensional photonic crystals” (Applied Physics Letters, 2004)

“To improve certain properties of a material, we need to go down from microsize to nanoscale. Carbon nanotubes have lots of applications due to their strength and their electrical properties. For example, flat panel displays for TVs. In the future, with carbon nanotubes, you can have better displays, with much lower energy consumption and a longer life for the TV. I’m interested most in the applications, to make all sorts of devices that can be better: better displays, better computers, better power generators.”