Biography
To meet the demand of emerging technologies, such as internet of things (IoT), high-speed wireless communication, and artificial photosynthesis, materials with controllable physical properties and compatible fabrication methods for low-cost, large-area and flexible device applications are required. Our research is based on chemically synthesized colloidal nanomaterials, whose material properties are highly tunable, and their dispersions can assemble into thin films through solution-based fabrication techniques. The goal of my research is to integrate colloidal nanomaterials into multi-scale and multi-functional devices and specifically enhance the efficiency, stability, and manufacturing scalability. Our research directions include: 1) advanced 3D manufacturing of colloidal nanomaterials, 2) nanodevices for IR/terahertz sensing and communication, 3) photo(electro)chemical devices for solar energy harvesting and storage.
Prof. Zhao joined the Department of EEE as an Assistant Professor in 2022. Prior to HKU, he has received postdoctoral training both at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. His PhD and bachelor’s degrees were obtained from the University of Pennsylvania and Tsinghua University, respectively.
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Selected Publications
- Xu, J.;# Zhao, T.;#* Zaccarin, A.M., Du, X., Yang, S., Ning, Y., Xiao, Q., Kramadhati, S., Choi, Y.C., Murray, C.B.; Olsson III, R.H; Kagan C.R*. Chemically Driven Sintering of Colloidal Cu Nanocrystals for Multiscale Electronic and Optical Devices. ACS Nano 2024 18 (27), 17611-17621. . (# equal contribution)
- Zhao, T.;# Zhao, Q.;# Lee J.; Yang, S.; Wang H.; Chuang M.; He Y.; Liu G.; Oh N.; Murray C.B.; Kagan C.R. Engineering the Surface Chemistry of Colloidal InP Quantum Dots for Charge Transport. Chemistry of Materials. Chem. Mater. 2022, 34, 18, 8306–8315 (# equal contribution)
- Yanagi, R.;# Zhao, T.;# Solanki, D.; Pan, Z.; Hu, S.; Charge Separation in Photocatalysts: Mechanisms, Physical Parameters and Design Principles. ACS Energy Lett. 2022, 7, 432–452. (# equal contribution)
- Zhao, T.; Basu, A.; Ramasamy, K.; Makarov N.; McDaniel H.; Kagan, C.R. Heavy-Metal-Free Quantum Dot-Based Flexible Electronics. Information Display. 2021, 37 (6), 24–32.
- Zhao, T.; Yanagi, R.; Xu, Y.; He Y.; Song Y.; Yang M.; Hu, S.; A Coating Strategy to Achieve Effective Local Charge Separation for Photocatalytic Coevolution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2021, 118 (7), 2023552118.