General Lab Information

Shiyu Fan

Assistant Scientist, Complex scattering, National Synchrotron Light Source II

Shiyu Fan

Brookhaven National Laboratory

National Synchrotron Light Source II
Bldg. 744, Room 4L-141
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000

(631) 344-2577
sfan1@bnl.gov

I am a Beamline Scientist at the 10ID Inelastic X-ray Scattering (IXS) beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), Brookhaven National Laboratory. I joined BNL in 2021 as a postdoctoral researcher at the 2ID-SIX beamline before transitioning to my current role at 10ID-IXS in January 2025.

My research focuses on probing electronic excitations in quantum materials using a range of spectroscopic and scattering techniques, including infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as resonant and non-resonant inelastic x-ray scattering. I am particularly interested in studying exotic quantum phenomena such as unconventional superconductivity, multiferroicity, colossal magnetoresistance, and ultrafast laser-induced phase transitions.

I actively collaborate with several universities and research institutions, including the University of Tennessee, Yale University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Rochester, and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), working on diverse projects in quantum materials research.

Expertise | Research | Education | Publications | Highlights | Awards


Expertise

I mainly use Resonant/Non-resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to study vibrational, electronic, and magnetic excitations in quantum materials. I am also expertised to develop new beamline capabilities by combining ultrafast laser with high-resolution RIXS/IXS techniques to study the photoinduced long-live phases in quantum materials. I also have abundant knowledge and skills on infrared/Raman/optical spectroscopy and magneto-optics.

Research Activities

My research primarily focuses on exploring the electronic properties of various quantum materials, including strongly correlated oxides, van der Waals materials, and multiferroics, under extreme conditions such as low temperatures, high magnetic fields, high pressure, and strain. Additionally, I am interested in investigating the electronic properties of non-equilibrium states. In particular, I have developed a laser-RIXS setup at the 2ID-SIX beamline to study photoinduced "hidden" phases in quantum materials.

I also serve as a reviewer for scientific journals including Physics Review B/Letters, Nature communications, and the Journal of Physical Chemistry. 

Education

Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics, University of Tennessee, Jan 2015 - May 2021.

M. Sc. in Nuclear Physics, University of Tennessee, Aug 2013 - Jan 2015

B.Sc. in Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science & technology, 2008 - 2012

Selected Publications

  • Fan S, LaBollita H, Gao Q, et al (2024) Capping Effects on Spin and Charge Excitations in Parent and Superconducting Nd1xSrxNiO2. Physical Review Letters 133:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.133.206501
  • Gao Q*, Fan S*, Wang Q*, et al (2024) Magnetic excitations in strained infinite-layer nickelate PrNiO2 films. Nature Communications 15:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49940-4
  • Pelliciari J, Mejia E, Woods JM, et al (2024) Elementary excitations of single-photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride. Nature Materials 23:1230–1236. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-024-01866-4
  • Musfeldt JL, Singh S, Fan S, et al (2024) Structural phase purification of bulk HfO 2 X%:Y through pressure cycling. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121:. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2312571121
  • Fan S, Singh S, Xu X, et al (2022) Vibrational fingerprints of ferroelectric HfO2. npj Quantum Materials 7:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-022-00436-8
  • Fan S, Das H, Rébola A, et al (2020) Site-specific spectroscopic measurement of spin and charge in (LuFeO3)m/(LuFe2O4)1 multiferroic superlattices. Nature Communications 11:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19285-9
  • Fan S, Neal S, Won C, et al (2020) Excitations of Intercalated Metal Monolayers in Transition Metal Dichalcogenides. Nano Letters 21:99–106. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03292
  • Chen Q, Fan S, Taddei KM, et al (2019) Large Positive Zero-Field Splitting in the Cluster Magnet Ba3CeRu2O9. Journal of the American Chemical Society 141:9928–9936. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.9b03389
  • Smith KA, Nowadnick EA, Fan S, et al (2019) Infrared nano-spectroscopy of ferroelastic domain walls in hybrid improper ferroelectric Ca3Ti2O7. Nature Communications 10:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13066-9
  • Fan S, Manuel I, al-Wahish A, et al (2017) Electronic chirality in the metallic ferromagnet Fe1/3TaS2. Physical Review B 96:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.96.205119

Research Highlights

Site-specific spectroscopic measurement of spin and charge in (LuFeO3)m/(LuFe2O4)1 multiferroic superlattices, S. Fan, H. Das, K. Smith, A. F. Rebola, J. A. Mundy, C. Brooks, M. Holtz, D. A. Muller, C. J. Fennie, R. Ramesh, D. G. Schlom, S. A. Mcgill, and J. L. Musfeldt. Nature Communs. 11, 5582 (2020). NHMFL Science Highlight: https://nationalmaglab.org/user-facilities/dc-field/research/science-highlights/extracting-multiferroic-superlattices/

Capping effects on spin and charge excitations in parent and superconducting Nd1−xSrxNiO2, S. Fan, H. LaBollita, Q. Gao, N. Khan, Y. Gu, J. Li, T. Kim, V. Bhartiya, Y. Li, W. Sun, J. Yang, S. Yan, A. Barbour, X. J. Zhou, A. Cano, F. Bernardini, Y. Nie, Z. Zhu, V. Bisogni, C. Mazzoli, A. S. Botana, and J. Pelliciari. Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 206501, (2024). BNL Science Highlight: https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=222175

Elementary excitations of single-photon emitters in hexagonal Boron Nitride, J. Pelliciari, E. Mejia, J. Woods, Y. Gu, J. Li, S. Chand, S. Fan, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, V. Bisogni, G. Grosso. Nat. Mater. (2024). BNL Science Highligh: https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=121842

Awards & Recognition

BNL Spotlight Award, 2023

Outstanding teaching assistant, University of Tennessee, 2019

Shiyu Fan

Brookhaven National Laboratory

National Synchrotron Light Source II
Bldg. 744, Room 4L-141
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000

(631) 344-2577
sfan1@bnl.gov

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