Dr. Yating Wan received her B.Sc. degree at Zhejiang University, in 2012, and her Ph.D. degree in at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2017. Prior to joining KAUST as an Assistant Professor in 2022 summer, she was a postdoctoral scholar in Prof. John Bowers group at University of California, Santa Barbara from 2017-2022.

Areas of expertise and current scientific interests

Dr. Wan’s research interests are in Silicon Photonics with special emphasis on integration of on-chip light sources for short-reach communication links. She is also interested in other related applications including biosensors / bioimaging, energy harvesting, machine vision, and quantum information processing.

Dr. Wan's research focused on simulation, device fabrication and characterization of the photonic integrated circuits. Her research has resulted in many pioneering and cutting-edge results, receiving extensive recognition by more than 30 professional communities and 10 social media coverages. She has published more than 60 peer-reviewed research papers, including 23 first-author journals, 6 corresponding-author journals, 12 first-author conference papers, 10 first-author journal covers, 1 first-author postdeadline conference paper, and 1 first-author book chapter. She served as an associate guest editor for JSTQE, associate editor for JQE, and a referee for more than 20 peer-reviewed journals in IEEE, OSA, and the Nature Publishing Group. She received 2016-17 School of Engineering PhD Research Excellence Award in HKUST, 2021 CLEO Tingye Li Innovation Prize, 2018 PIERS Young Scientist Award, 2018 Rising Stars Women in Engineering Asia, 2020 Rising Stars Women in EECS, 2021 OGC Best Young Scientist Award, and 2022 Rising Stars of Light.

Full resume can be accessed here.

Selected Publications

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)

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" tab or Google Scholar, or her CV 

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.