Xi Yan Associate professor

B.S., Jilin University, 09/2011–07/2015
Ph.D., University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 09/2015–01/2021

Postdoctoral Researcher, Argonne National Laboratory, 02/2021–01/2025
Postdoctoral Researcher, City University of Hong Kong, 02/2025–02/2026

I work on complex oxide thin films, heterointerfaces, and quantum functional materials, with a particular focus on oxide superconductivity, low-dimensional electron systems, and the emergence and control of strongly correlated quantum states. My research integrates thin-film growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with a broad range of characterization methods, including synchrotron x-ray diffraction, photoemission spectroscopy, electrical transport, and magnetic measurements. Through these approaches, I aim to understand the relationships among materials growth, crystal structure, electronic states, and macroscopic physical properties in complex oxide systems.

I am interested in combining materials design, thin-film epitaxy, and in situ characterization to uncover the key structural mechanisms and physical origins of novel quantum functional materials, and to explore new superconducting systems and low-dimensional quantum phenomena.</br>

We are seeking 1–3 postdoctoral researchers. Applications are welcome.

In recent years, I have carried out systematic research on oxide superconducting thin films and interfacial quantum states. My first-author work has been published in journals including Science, Science Advances, and Advanced Materials. My current research interests include nickelate oxide superconductors, emergent quantum states at complex oxide interfaces, and integrated in situ approaches that combine epitaxial growth with advanced spectroscopic and diffraction techniques.