Advent calendar - December 17th - Zhiying Dan

In the Zernike Institute Advent Calendar, we are presenting 24 short spotlights in December. In these specials, we highlight PhD students, postdocs, support staff and technicians of our research groups and team - providing a glimpse into their typical day at work. In Episode 17 meet Zhiying Dan, PhD researcher in the Experimental Nanophysics with Advanced Spectroscopic & Structural Analysis Methods group of Dr. Antonija Grubisic-Cabo.

I am currently pursuing my PhD at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, working within the Surfaces and Thin Films group under the supervision of Dr. Antonija Grubišić-Cabo. As an experimental physics PhD candidate, my daily work involves data analysis, planning and designing upcoming experiments, participating in group meetings, and contributing to teaching activities within the department.

My research focuses on developing novel in-situ exfoliation methods for two-dimensional (2D) materials and characterizing their structural and electronic properties. In particular, I investigate the in-situ exfoliation of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions to obtain high-quality monolayer films. A central theme of my work is understanding the mechanism of metal-assisted exfoliation of 2D materials. This includes studying the interfacial properties between TMDCs and their supporting substrates, such as electronic-state hybridization, the transition from van der Waals contacts to chemically bonded interfaces, and the resulting modifications in material properties. These insights are essential for advancing our understanding of interfacial interactions and for optimizing the performance of next-generation semiconductor devices.

In addition, a significant part of my experimental data is acquired at various synchrotron beamlines. Participating in beamtime experiments is not only a crucial component of my research but also an exciting and intellectually challenging experience, involving sophisticated instrumentation, real-time decision-making, and close collaboration with international research teams.

See all Advent Calendar items 2025 here!