Prof. HAO Jianhua, Head(AP), Chair Professor and Director of RCNN, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the workshop organizer.
Prof. HAN Gang Hee, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics of Incheon National University, delivered a presentation.
Prof. MOON Byoung Hee, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics of Incheon National University, delivered a presentation.
Prof. ZHAO Jiong, Professor in AP of PolyU, delivered a presentation.
Prof. ZHANG Biao, Associate Professor in AP of PolyU, delivered a presentation.
The Research Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (RCNN) and the Department of Applied Physics (AP) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully jointly co-organized a bilateral academic workshop with Incheon National University of the Republic of Korea on 17 December 2025. The event served as a dynamic platform for in-depth exchange on cutting-edge research in low-dimensional materials, nanoscale physics, and advanced device applications.
The workshop featured a series of insightful presentations from distinguished scholars and emerging research talents of both institutions, highlighting the synergy between fundamental exploration and applied innovation.
Prof. HAO Jianhua, Head of AP, Chair Professor of Materials Physics and Devices and Director of RCNN at PolyU, delivered the opening remarks. He extended a warm welcome to the delegation from Incheon National University and emphasized the significance of the workshop for strengthening international academic ties and igniting collaborative research initiatives in frontier areas of nanoscience and applied physics.
The scientific program commenced with a presentation by Prof. HAN Gang Hee, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics of Incheon National University. He introduced his group work on the "Templated Growth of Two-dimensional Tellurium on 1T'-MoTe2," demonstrating how substrate-mediated adhesion can control the morphology of anisotropic tellurium films, thereby paving the way for tailored two-dimensional semiconductor structures.
Dr. MA Teng, Research Assistant Professor in AP of PolyU, followed with a talk titled "Layer-controlled Growth of 2D Ferroelectric Materials with Strong Nonlinear Hall Effect." He detailed a homoepitaxial chemical vapor deposition strategy for producing large-area bilayer MoTe2 single crystals exhibiting robust room-temperature ferroelectricity and record-high nonlinear Hall signals, underscoring their potential for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Prof. MOON Byoung Hee, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics of Incheon National University, then explored the enduring topic of the "Metal-insulator Transition in Two-dimensional van der Waals Layered Materials." His presentation reviewed the historical context and contemporary research trends, including phenomena within moiré superlattices, offering valuable perspectives on this fundamental challenge in condensed-matter physics.
Shifting focus toward energy applications, Prof. ZHANG Biao, Associate Professor in AP of PolyU, presented on "Designing and Probing Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces for Rechargeable Batteries." He outlined innovative interface engineering approaches to construct elastic solid electrolyte interphases, which enable stable cycling of high-density micro-sized electrode particles and address critical issues related to battery longevity and energy density.
Prof. KIM Jung Ho, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Incheon National University, addressed a pivotal challenge in nanoelectronics with his talk, "Contact Engineering-assisted Band-to-band Tunneling in van der Waals Heterojunctions." By utilizing atomically clean van der Waals contacts to depin the Fermi level, his team achieved efficient carrier injection, resulting in the clear observation of band-to-band tunneling and negative differential resistance in vertical heterojunctions.
Concluding the technical sessions, Prof. ZHAO Jiong, Professor in AP of PolyU, spoke on "Phase Transition and Ferroelectricity in Two-dimensional Chalcogenides." He elucidated how in-situ transmission electron microscopy techniques can be employed to unravel ferroic ordering and phase transitions in two-dimensional materials, establishing crucial correlations between atomic-scale structures and device-level performance to advance their application in novel in-memory computing and sensing devices.
The bilateral workshop facilitated vibrant discussion and knowledge sharing, reinforcing the shared dedication of both PolyU and Incheon National University to advancing the frontiers of scientific discovery. This collaborative engagement is poised to catalyze future joint research endeavors, contributing significantly to the global progress in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
