Jin Zhang

Areas of interest in materials: experimental studies of semiconductor, metal, and metal oxide nanomaterials with emphasis on their unique optical and dynamic properties, as well as applications in solar energy conversion and biomedical detection/therapy.

Capabilities: conventional optical spectroscopy (UV-vis, fluorescence, Raman, electrochemistry and photoelectrochemistry) and ultrafast time resolved laser techniques (time-correlated single photon counting with 40 ps time resolution and 390 nm excitation for measuring lifetime of luminescence materials; fs laser for transient absorption and reflection with 100 fs time resolution for broad pump and probe for essentially any materials).

Current projects: 1) doped semiconductors for solid state lighting or electroluminescence applications; 2) photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation using metal oxides and quantum dots as well as metal nanoparticles; 3) SERS (surface enhanced Raman scattering) detection of cancer biomarkers; 4) photothemal ablation therapy of cancer based on hollow gold nanospheres.