Fengnian Xia

Prof. Fengnian Xia is the Tso-Ping Ma Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Yale University. His research focuses on quantum materials, optoelectronics, and device engineering, with emphasis on infrared sensing, nonlinear photonics, and topological phenomena. He holds appointments in Materials Science and leads the Xia Group, which explores intersections of physics, AI, and engineering.

Education:

• Ph.D., Princeton University
• B.S., Tsinghua University, China

Research Interests:

Xia's work bridges quantum material discovery and device innovation. Key areas include:

• Quantum geometry in twisted 2D systems (e.g., graphene heterostructures)
• Intelligent sensing via reconfigurable devices and deep learning
• Infrared photodetectors and spectrometers using black phosphorus
• Emerging materials synthesis (e.g., van der Waals epitaxy)

Key Achievements:

Xia pioneered black phosphorus-based spectrometers and demonstrated AI-enhanced optical sensing. His group developed tunable moiré devices and uncovered topological edge states in twisted bilayer graphene. Recent work emphasizes geometric deep optical sensing and wafer-scale material synthesis.

Grants & Collaborations:

Supported by NSF, ONR, and private grants. Collaborates with Prof. Fan Zhang (UT Dallas), Prof. Doron Naveh (Bar-Ilan), and Prof. Ashwin Ramasubramaniam (UMass Amherst). Active in patenting (e.g., black phosphorus heterostructures, optical modulators).

Labs/Teams:

Xia Group at Yale University focuses on device fabrication, optical characterization, and computational modeling. Facilities include advanced nanofabrication and spectroscopy labs.