Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pengju Zhang, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
🔬 Dr. Pengju Zhang is a Group Leader at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. With expertise in ultrafast spectroscopy and attosecond science, he has advanced research in time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of gases and liquids. 📸 His work has appeared in top journals like Nature Photonics and Nature Chemistry. 🌊 He developed a cutting-edge experimental platform revealing insights into liquid water dynamics, electron decay, and coherent wave packets. 🚀 A rising star in experimental physics!
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🎓 Early Academic Pursuits
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pengju Zhang began his academic journey with a strong focus on experimental physics, particularly in ultrafast spectroscopy. His early training laid the groundwork for mastering time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, culminating in postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich (2018–2024). Here, he joined one of the world’s leading groups in attosecond science, where he honed his expertise and developed pioneering tools for probing excited-state dynamics in matter. 🧪📚
💼 Professional Endeavors
In 2024, Dr. Zhang joined the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences as a tenured Associate Professor and Group Leader, spearheading advancements in ultrafast electron dynamics. His work now bridges atomic, molecular, and condensed-phase physics, with particular emphasis on attosecond temporal resolution and photoelectron spectroscopy of liquids. 🏛️🔬
🔬 Contributions and Research Focus On Physics
Dr. Zhang’s research revolves around understanding electronic excited-state processes in complex systems. His hallmark contributions include:
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Development of photoelectron frequency-resolved optical gating (P-FROG),
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Discovery of intermolecular Coulombic decay (ICD) in liquid water,
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Lifetime characterization of cascade Auger processes in noble gases, and
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Probing ultrafast isomerization in liquids using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy.
His projects span both gas-phase and condensed-matter systems, revealing wave-packet dynamics, coherence phenomena, and ultrafast charge migration. ⚛️⚡
🌍 Impact and Influence
Dr. Zhang’s groundbreaking work has contributed fundamentally to the field of attosecond science. His Nature Photonics and Nature Communications publications have pushed the boundaries of time-domain measurements in molecular systems. By decoding ultrafast interactions in liquids—long considered challenging—he has paved new paths for femtochemistry and molecular reaction dynamics. 🌐🧭
🧠 Research Skills
Dr. Zhang is highly skilled in:
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Ultrafast laser system design and control,
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Time-resolved and coincidence photoelectron spectroscopy,
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Advanced data analysis of quantum dynamics,
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Characterization of electron correlation and decay pathways,
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Collaborative research across solid-state physics, molecular chemistry, and spectroscopy.
His lab innovations demonstrate engineering precision, methodological novelty, and deep physical insight. 🔧📡
🏅 Awards and Honors
Dr. Zhang has been appointed as a Young Editor for Ultrafast Science (2025–2028), recognizing his leadership and emerging authority in the field. His candidacy for the Best Researcher Award is well-supported by his publication record, experimental breakthroughs, and international collaborations. 🥇📖
🏛️ Legacy and Future Contributions
Looking forward, Dr. Zhang is leading research into white-light attosecond pulse generation from solids and time-resolved high-harmonic generation in liquids. These projects promise to redefine femtosecond metrology and improve our understanding of light–matter interaction in real-world conditions. His legacy lies in bridging the gap between gas-phase physics and condensed-phase ultrafast science, with the potential to revolutionize chemical reaction control and quantum information processes. 🚀🧬
Publications Top Notes
📘 Electron Emission Study
Title: Electron emission from single-electron capture with simultaneous single-ionization reactions in 30-keV/u He-on-argon collisions
Journal: Physical Review A
Citations: 78
Year: 2011
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💧 Liquid Water Ionization Energy
Title: Ionization energy of liquid water revisited
Journal: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Citations: 56
Year: 2020
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⚡ Interatomic Decay Observation
Title: Observation of interatomic Coulombic decay and electron-transfer-mediated decay in high-energy electron-impact ionization of Ar
Journal: Physical Review A
Citations: 49
Year: 2013
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💥 Intermolecular Coulombic Decay
Title: Intermolecular Coulombic Decay in Liquid Water
Journal: Physical Review Letters
Citations: 42
Year: 2022
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🌟 Ultrafast Stilbene Isomerization
Title: Different timescales during ultrafast stilbene isomerization in the gas and liquid phases
Journal: Nature Chemistry
Citations: 33
Year: 2022
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🚀 Sequential Pathways by Ion Impact
Title: Observation of two sequential pathways of dissociation by heavy-ion impact
Journal: Physical Review A
Citations: 31
Year: 2016
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🔍 Collision Dynamics Study
Title: Dynamics of […] investigated by 50-keV/u impact
Journal: Physical Review A
Citations: 29
Year: 2018
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📉 Low-Energy Electron Distribution
Title: Low-energy electron distributions from the photoionization of liquid water
Journal: Chemical Science
Citations: 25
Year: 2022
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🌿 Laser-Induced Breakdown in Plants
Title: Influence of laser wavelength on LIBS in trace-elements of a plant sample
Journal: Chinese Physics Letters
Citations: 25
Year: 2010
🔬🌱
🔬 Detector Application in Recombination Experiment
Title: YAP:Ce and CsI(Tl) detectors for dielectronic recombination experiment at the CSRm
Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B
Citations: 24
Year: 2013
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📐 Electron Capture Cross Sections
Title: Angular- and state-selective differential cross sections for single-electron capture
Journal: Physical Review A
Citations: 24
Year: 2012
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🧪 Methane Orbital Ionization
Title: Low energy (e, 2e) study from the 1t2 orbital of CH4
Journal: The Journal of Chemical Physics
Citations: 22
Year: 2012
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