Yating Wan

Dr. Yating Wan, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at KAUST, excels in silicon photonics, with special emphasis on the integration of on-chip light sources.

Biography

Dr. Yating Wan is an Assistant Professor at KAUST, specializing in Silicon Photonics with a focus on integrating on-chip light sources that can be applied to data communication, optical computing, OPA based lidar, and quantum information processing. She earned her Ph.D. in 2017 from HKUST (supervised by Prof. Kei May Lau). From 2016 to 2022, she worked at UCSB (supervised by Prof. John Bowers), where she led Intel’s project on heterogeneously integrated quantum dot lasers, making significant contributions to Si CMOS-compatible light sources. 

Dr. Wan has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including 29 first-author journal papers (10 as covers), 7 corresponding-author journal papers, and >20 invited talks in international conferences. With over 3,500 citations and an h-index of 33, her research has received prestigious awards, including HKUST PhD Research Excellence Award (2017), PIERS Young Scientist Award (2018), CLEO Tingye Li Innovation Prize (2021), Rising Stars of Light by Light: Science & Applications (2022), MIT Technology Review's "35 Innovators Under 35 for China" (2023), Optica Ambassador (2024), and Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature (2025). 

Outside of her immediate research spectrum, Dr. Wan has been a proactive contributor to the broader academic community. She is the Manager & Column Editor for the LSA Editorial Office in Thuwal, Associate editor in Applied Optics, IEEE JQE, guest associate editor in IEEE JSTQE, TPC of IPC and CLEO, and Committee Member of the IEEE Photonics Society (IPS) Conference Council. She has also been a referee for a myriad of prestigious journals, spanning IEEE, OSA, and the Nature Publishing Group more than 100 times.

Research Interests

An expert in silicon photonics, Dr. Wan specializes in on-chip light source integration. Her research extends to data communication, optical computing and quantum information processing.

She is renowned for integrating long-wavelength quantum dot devices on silicon.

Professional Profile

Service Contributions

  • , 2024 - present

Awards and Distinctions

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 2017
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Optical Engineering, Zhejiang University, China, 2012

Quote

Our lab works on Silicon Photonics with special emphasis on integration of on-chip light sources. Leveraging the state of the art nanofabrication technology and interdisciplinary cooperation, we develop photonic integrated circuits that can be applied for data communications, biosensors/bioimaging, energy harvesting, machine vision, and quantum information processing.

Selected Publications

Selected Publications in KAUST

  1. Z. Zhou, X. Ou, Y. Fang, E. Alkhazraji, R. Xu, Y. Wan*, J. E. Bowers, “Prospects and applications of on-chip lasers”, Elight 3 (1), 1-25, 2023. (Featured by Light: Science & Applications volume as a Spotlight, *corresponding author).
  2. E. Alkhazraji, W. W. Chow, F. Grillot, J. E. Bowers, Y. Wan* “Linewidth narrowing in self-injection-locked on-chip lasers”, Light: Science & Applications. 12(1), 162, 2023. (*corresponding author) (Impact: 20.26).
  3. R. Koscica, Y. Wan*, W. He, MJ Kennedy, J. Bowers, “Heterogeneous integration of a III–V quantum dot laser on high thermal conductivity silicon carbide”, Optics Letters, 48 (10), 2539-2542 (2023) (*corresponding author).
  4. Y. Wan*, C. Guo, “Light people: Prof. Evelyn Hu’s adventure: from semiconductors to quantum–from industry to academia”, Light: Science & Applications. 12(1), 157 (2023). 
  5. B. Dong, Y. Wan*, W. W. Chow, C. Shang, A. Prokoshin, R. Koscica. H, Wang, J. E. Bowers, “Turnkey locking of quantum-dot lasers directly grown on Si”, Nature Photonics. accepted (*Equally contributing authors and corresponding author) 

Selected Publications before joining KAUST.

  1. Y. Wan, C. Xiang, J. Guo, R. Koscica, MJ Kennedy, J. Selvidge, Z. Zhang, L. Chang, W. Xie, D.Huang, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “High speed evanescent quantum-dot lasers on Si”, Laser & Photonics Reviews 2100057, 2021. (Front cover)
  2. Y. Wan, J. Norman, Y. Tong, MJ Kennedy, W. He, J. Selvidge, C. Shang, M. Dumont, A. Malik, H. K. Tsang, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “1.3 µm quantum-dot distributed feedback lasers directly grown on (001) Si”, Laser & Photonics Reviews. 14 (7), 2070042, 2020. (Back cover)
  3. Y. Wan, C. Shang, J. Huang, Z. Xie, A. Jain, D. Inoue, B. Chen, J. Norman, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “Low-dark current 1.55 μm InAs quantum dash waveguide photodiodes”, ACS nano 14(3), 3519-3527, 2020.
  4. Y. Wan, S. Zhang, J. Norman, MJ Kennedy, W. He, Y. Tong, C. Shang, J. He, H. K. Tsang, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “Directly modulated single-mode tunable quantum dot lasers at 1.3 µm”, Laser & Photonics Reviews. 14(3), 1900348, 2020. (Back cover)
  5. Y. Wan, S. Zhang, J. Norman, MJ Kennedy, W. He, S. Liu, C. Xiang, C. Shang, J. He, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “Tunable quantum dot lasers directly grown on silicon”, Optica, 6(11), 1394-1400 (2019).
  6. Y. Wan, J. Norman, Q. Li, MJ. Kennedy, D. Liang, C. Zhang, D. Huang, Z. Zhang, A. Y. Liu, A. Torres, D. Jung, A. C. Gossard, E. L. Hu, K. M. Lau, and J. E. Bowers*, “1.3 µm submilliamp threshold quantum dot micro-lasers on Si”, Optica, 4(8), 940-944 (2017). (Front cover)
  7. Y. Wan, D. Jung, C. Shang, N. Collins, I. Macfarlane, J. Norman, M. Dumont, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “Low-threshold continuous-wave operation of electrically-pumped 1.55 μm InAs quantum dash microring lasers”, ACS Photonics, 6 (2), pp 279–285 (2019).
  8. Y. Wan, D. Innoue, D. Jung, J. Norman, C. Shang, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “Directly modulated quantum dot lasers on silicon with a milliamp threshold and high temperature stability”, Photonics Research, 6(8), 776-781 (2018). (Front cover)
  9. Y. Wan, C. Shang, J. Norman, B. Shi, Q. Li, N Collins, M Dumont, K. M. Lau, A. C. Gossard, and J. E. Bowers*, “Low threshold quantum dot lasers directly grown on unpatterned quasi-nominal (001) Si”, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics. 26, 1-9, 2020.
  10. Y. Wan, Q. Li, A. Y. Liu, A. C. Gossard, J. E. Bowers, E. L. Hu, and K. M. Lau*, “Optically pumped 1.3 μm room-temperature InAs quantum-dot micro-disk lasers directly grown on (001) silicon,” Optics Letters, 41(7), 1664-1667 (2016). (15 most cited articles published in Optics Letters between 2016 and 2018)
  11. Y. Wan, Q. Li, A. Y. Liu, A. C. Gossard, J. E. Bowers, E. L. Hu, K. M. Lau*, “Temperature characteristics of epitaxially grown InAs quantum dot micro-disk lasers on silicon for on-chip light sources” Applied Physics Letters, 109 (1), 011104 (2016). (Front cover and most highly read paper of 2016 by Applied Physics Letter)
  12. Y. Wan, Z. Zhang, R. Chao, J. Norman, D. Jung, C. Shang, Q. Li, MJ. Kennedy, D. Liang, C. Zhang, J. Shi, A. C. Gossard, E. L. Hu, K. M. Lau, and J. E. Bowers*, “Monolithically Integrated InAs/InGaAs Quantum Dot Photodetectors on Silicon Substrates”, Optics Express, 25(22), 27715-27723 (2017). 

For the complete list and PDF paper files, please visit the publications list on "KAUST Academic Research Portal", KAUST Repository, Google Scholar, or her CV.

Questions and Answers

Why KAUST?

1. KAUST offers strong startup funding for me to build a world-class lab and provides flexible and sustained support to pursue long-term research and scientific goals so that I can spend sufficient quality time advising students and discussing ideas.

2. KAUST has world-leading facilities for semiconductor material growth, device nano-fabrication, and characterizations. Those facilities are supported and maintained by excellent and experienced scientists and technicians to make full use.

3.  KAUST is a beautiful place, with the Red Sea just steps away.

4.  KAUST takes care of everything (housing, children education, transportation, visa, etc. ) so that you can fully focus on research.

5. KAUST provides work-play-live environment, it has state-of-the-art fitness facilities and ample recreational amenities, infinity pool with its magnificent view overlooking the sea, a 9-hole, par 36 golf course, full range of PADI scuba diving courses from Open Water all the way up to Dive Master, numerous fine dining and casual fare restaurants, private chartered boat cruises, snorkeling and diving trips, and traditional fishing trips, etc. There is a wide range of activities and opportunities for keeping fit, active and entertained.

6. KAUST is very international, it attracts students, postdocs, scientists, and faculties from all around the world. I enjoy the diverse and international university community of faculty, students, staff, and the cross-disciplinary organization between Academic Divisions and Research Centers. 

Apply for postgraduate study

Start your application